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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29962482">Headfirst</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/fruectose/pseuds/fruectose'>fruectose</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 02:07:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>22,383</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29962482</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/fruectose/pseuds/fruectose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>yet another one of those collections of prompts! it's all fluff baby! &lt;3 <br/>Percy and Annabeth fall in love- wholly, totally, headfirst.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>193</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. carjackers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Percy catches his neighbour in the act.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p></p><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p></p>
  <div class="">
    <p>It’s a little past two in the morning and Percy Jackson cannot, for the life of him, get himself to sleep.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>He closes his eyes and buries his face in his pillows and counts sheep and listens to whale sounds (never helps, by the way)- and when none of those work, he gives up and turns to his laptop. He doesn’t really know how long he’s been clicking through one uninteresting YouTube video to another, but he’s halfway through a video dissecting evidence on how Catherine Zeta-Jones is most definitely an alien when he hears movement across the street.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>He’s not entirely sure what he’s expecting to see when he makes it to the window, but it’s definitely not his neighbour sticking one- and then both feet out of her first floor window before dropping as noisily as she does gracelessly into a bush. Percy squints into the night, and for a moment he worries that maybe she’s dead, but then the bush shivers and a blonde head pokes out from behind it.</p>
  </div>
</div><div class="">
  <p>There is no reason for him to lean out of the window the way he does, craning his neck to watch her hobble around the side of her house and straight to the sleep black Lexus parked in the driveway. Her hair catches the streetlights and even from the distance, Percy thinks she looks impossibly beautiful. She glares at the car and Percy can’t really tell what she’s doing when she wriggles her body around- but then she catches him watching her and stops.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Percy?” She says in a loud whisper. It carries through the still night as easily as a scream might have.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“What are you doing?” He whispers back and she checks both sides of the street before crossing over until she’s standing by his mom’s flowerbeds.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Do you know how to hotwire a car?” She completely ignores his question. Percy shrugs, but he really doesn’t like where this is going.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“With a screwdriver, sure- I mean, it’s not very hard if you know what connects to the battery and the ignition, you’re just taking out the-”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Great. How quickly can you get down here?” Annabeth cuts him off.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Not as fast as you did just then.” Percy nods and Annabeth shakes her head.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She glares up at him impatiently and Percy figures there’s no harm in hot wiring her dad’s car and sending her on her way. He’s spent the last five years watching her sneak in and out of her home from his window- she’s basically a professional at this point. She can drive off to whatever exciting life she has and Percy might even feel a sense of accomplishment in helping out his cute, reckless neighbour strong enough to lull him back to sleep. He grabs his phone and his dad’s old toolkit and is careful as he makes his way down the stairs, past his parents’ room and out the front door. Annabeth is already at his porch, and grabs his hand and pulls him across the street to her dad’s car.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Okay, get me in and you can go back to whatever you were doing.” She’s very calm for someone about to drive off into who knows where in a stolen car. Percy works on opening up the car door in silence- he’s been a little out of practice since taping his keys to his jacket pocket, but a lifetime of leaving them behind has taught him well.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Annabeth demands. Percy sighs and glares at her over his shoulder.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Would you like to give it a go?” He asks and Annabeth shakes her head.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“No. Go on.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She gives him exactly five seconds before she interrupts him again.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I just think you should’ve been able to- you know, open the door by now.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Annabeth, can you shut up for a second?” Percy might have been more polite if he wasn’t otherwise occupied. “I’m trying to focus, and you are giving me a headache.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Oh.” Annabeth says. He sees her shift her weight from one foot to another in his periphery. “As you were, then.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Eventually, the car door pops open smoothly and he grins triumphantly at her. “Voilà!”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Annabeth looks impressed. She gestures for him to carry on. “It’s not going to start itself.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>This is the easy part. Percy pulls out his screwdriver and starts on finding the wires.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Does this count as breaking and entering?” He asks and she clicks her tongue.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Not sure.” She says. “What do you want to bet my dad’s going to report his missing car before he notices his missing daughter tomorrow morning?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I would really like to claim plausible deniability for whatever might happen.” Percy says wearily. Annabeth hums absently.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Whatever.” She says. She’s wearing a pair of pink shorts and an oversized Harvard hoodie that still has leaves from her fall into the bush stuck to it. She’s dressed either for the warmth or the cold- Percy really cannot tell. “Why were you watching me, anyway? Are you like, a creep? Should I be scared?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’ve known you five years!” Percy cries and Annabeth laughs.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’m only joking.” She says. Percy feels his cheeks heat up as he finds the wires he was looking for and ties them together. The car comes to life quietly.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I just couldn’t sleep.” Percy confesses. “Then I heard you free fall into a shrub- and you know that’s always going to be a fun start to a story.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Annabeth’s lips twitch up and she stares at her trainers. “Do you want to go on a drive with me?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Where are you going?” Percy asks, but she’s already jogging around and climbing into the passenger seat.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Go straight on.” She tells him and it’s not a question anymore.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Percy isn’t sure how he gets dragged into this- driving all the way out of the city in the dead of the night with the girl of his dreams- but Annabeth kicks her legs up onto the dashboard and talks to him about art that inspires her and he can’t quite bring himself to complain. They’ve driven for over an hour when she tells him to pull over in the middle Buttfuck, Long Island. Percy rolls down his window and surveys the large, empty field she’d led them to. There is no sign of civilization for miles.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Did you make me chauffeur you to my own murder scene?” Percy asks. “Because I almost appreciate it.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’m not going to kill you.” Annabeth rolls her eyes and gets out of the car, the door slamming loudly shut behind her. She knocks on the window and gestures for Percy to follow and he scrambles after her.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Annabeth climbs onto the hood and leans her back against the windshield and pats the space beside her. Percy narrows his eyes.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Do you think it can take us both-?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Oh my <em>god</em>, will you just trust me?” Annabeth asks and Percy thinks of the last time she’d said that to him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You’re not really known for your great ideas.” He tells her as he hops up beside her anyway.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Are you still on about Valentine’s Day?” Annabeth closes her eyes and her hand brushes his. Percy feels his cheeks turn bright red but he doesn’t dare move a muscle. This is the closest he’s ever been, physically, to his neighbour and his heart beats so loudly in his chest he’s surprised she doesn’t hear it.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yes, I’m talking about Valentine’s Day.” It gets harder and harder for him to stay angry with her- even when he thinks about how she’d tried to get him to act as a step-ladder for her boyfriend to sneak into her room. To nobody’s surprise, one lanky teenager trying to hoist a two hundred pound footballer up on his shoulders ended the only way imaginable- a concussion and a sprained neck. “I couldn’t look to the left for weeks.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You whine <em>so</em> much.” Annabeth tells him. “Anyway, I never got to thank you for it. Justin broke up with me that night and I’d been trying to get rid of him for months.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Okay, that’s a lie.” Percy says and Annabeth’s smile is soft. “You totally wanted to hook up with him that night!”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Annabeth hums and turns her attention to the night sky above them. Percy follows her gaze and his breath catches. He doesn’t think he’s ever seen so many stars out before. Between New York’s pollution and ambient light, the City That Never Sleeps leaves little room for the stars to shine. Long Island is quiet, still where New York never stops- and for that, she is rewarded with thousands of twinkling lights that grace her skies.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“This is so beautiful.” He whispers, as if speaking any louder would scare the sky away.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I know.” Annabeth says. “I used to come out here all the time when my parents argued. We only lived about five miles south of here.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Before Manhattan?” Percy asks.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Annabeth Chase had moved in across the street five years ago- with her blonde hair and brilliant smile- and Percy had been infatuated since. They’d gone on a bunch of stupid adventures, occasionally driven to school together- but he’d hardly consider them friends. He doesn’t know the first thing about where she came from, and he’s willing to bet she’s not got any idea what he likes to do in his spare time.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“No.” Annabeth shakes her head. “It was Richmond, Virginia, first. And then a little while in Long Island. Then my mom left and my dad took me to San Francisco. We spent a while in Cambridge after that- and now here we are. Only fifty miles from the most beautiful place on Earth.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She looks up at the sky and the stars shine in her eyes. Percy fights back the urge to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. He clears his throat.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“My mom and dad argued a lot too.” He admits, because it feels like the right thing to say. He’s seen Annabeth’s parents fight- Dr. Chase storming out of the house and his wife hollering insults that can be heard across the street. This is the relationship Frederick Chase can maintain- he cannot imagine how bad it must have been with Annabeth’s mother.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Your dad loved you.” Annabeth says, confident enough that Percy almost forgets she’d never even met him. “I know your relationship was complicated, but you just have to believe me when I say it. I’m sorry he died.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“It was a long time ago. And you don’t even know him.” Percy tells her with a small laugh, and Annabeth cracks a smile.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yeah, but I know you.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It’s a good thing she doesn’t look away from the sky, because Percy’s cheeks are burning. He scratches the back of his neck and desperately looks for the words to say. <em>You deserve for your dad to love you too</em>, he thinks. <em>You deserve to be able to steal his car and know for a fact that he’ll notice your empty bed before he notices the empty driveway</em>. He looks over at her, the curve of her throat, the length of her lashes, and all the words he’s ever learned fail him at once. Her hand slips into his and she uses her free one to point up at the sky.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You see that there?” She asks, drawing lines between stars. “Those four points. That’s Hercules.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Percy listens quietly to her as she names all the constellations around Hercules. She points out Draco, and Ursa Major, and by the time she stops, they’re sitting up and looking at the constellations behind the car. She looks over her shoulder at him and hesitates.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“That one there,” she says quietly. “That’s cancer. It’s my star sign.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p><em>July twelfth</em>. Percy already knows. Annabeth looks down at her shoes for a moment.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“And the one right next to the crab-” She draws out an elaborate pattern. “Is Leo. That’s yours, right? August eighteenth?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Percy isn’t sure why he’s surprised that she remembers. She’d come over to celebrate his birthday with all his friends only last year. Annabeth looks at him with an expression he can’t quite place, her face lit up by only the stars and the moon, and he really wants to kiss her. He nods silently, unable to form any real words.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Anyway.” Annabeth shakes her head and draws away from him, and it’s only then that Percy realises that they’d both been leaning into each other. “Um. Yeah. This is stupid. Thanks for driving me out here.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yeah.” Percy nods, scratching the back of his neck and trying to fight the blush he knows is burning his cheeks to a crisp. “Uh… thanks for inviting me, I guess.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Shut up.” Annabeth says playfully, and she lies back down against the windshield. Percy props himself up on his elbow so he can get a proper look at her. She holds his gaze and drops her voice. “So how come you were awake?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Couldn’t sleep.” Percy says, shaking his head. “It's a good thing, though. Look at all the constellations I learned.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yeah?” Annabeth asks, her smile growing so wide she threatens to outshine the stars. “Name one.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Cancer.” Percy tells her easily, and if there’s ever a moment to make a move, it’s now. Carefully, he moves his arm over her so he’s bracketing her waist. Annabeth doesn’t give him any signs that she’s uncomfortable, and he decides it’s enough bravery for now. “Why were you jumping out your window and stealing a car in the middle of the night?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She shrugs her shoulders. “Rough day.” She confesses. “Felt like some peace and quiet. Just needed a reminder of what it feels like to be happy.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Percy imagines Annabeth, only a child with missing front teeth, sneaking out of her house, away from the screaming and the yelling, to come sit in an empty field and look up at the sky. She’s been slipping out of her own home, completely unnoticed, for her whole life. He looks at her now, sprawled out under his weight, and he cannot imagine how anyone could ever not see her.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Oh.” He says, and Annabeth leans forward until her forehead knocks against his.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Thanks for coming with me.” She says again, softer this time. Her lips are so close to his. All it would take is a tilt of his head to close the gap. Percy hesitates, and Annabeth pulls away like he’d shocked her. Her eyes are wide and embarrassed and she barks out a laugh.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“God, this is so <em>stupid</em>.” She says, burying her face in her hands and turning away from him. “<em>I’m</em> so stupid.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“What are you talking about?” Percy frowns.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Okay, I’m just going to say it, right.” Annabeth says, taking a deep breath. “And I don’t want to look at you when I do and I really hope you’re cool enough to not make this, like, a <em>thing</em>.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Huh?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I have a crush on you. Kind of.” Annabeth admits, and if Percy wasn’t so surprised by what she’s saying, he might have realised she was screaming out loud in her nervousness. He stares at her and she lets out a squeal of laughter. “I- no! Don’t look at me.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Annabeth cups his chin with one hand and gently turns his face away from her, and he feels her laugh under him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Okay, so I had a little crush on you when I moved in, right, and then we hung out and it alway felt like maybe you didn’t want to hang out with me- which is totally cool, by the way. I’m over it… now. But you know. You have your friends and I have mine and I get it. I get it, honestly. But I don’t know I just thought you were going to kiss me right now, and you didn’t, and that’s so embarrassing and now I kind of wish I’d never started speaking, and-”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>If there’s ever been the right moment to kiss the girl, it’s right now. Percy, tired of missing his chances over and over again, takes it, pressing his lips clumsily to hers while she’s still talking and promptly getting bitten. He pulls away and knocks his forehead- hard- against hers.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Ow!” He cries.</p>
  <p>“You kissed me!” Annabeth cries.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“<em>Ow</em>.” Percy repeats.</p>
  <p>“And headbutted me.” Annabeth states.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He opens his eyes and meets her gaze. “I was trying to be romantic.” He says, nursing his lip. Annabeth reaches over and runs her thumb along it.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You’re not bleeding.” She says. “Do you like me?”</p>
  <p>“I’m not gracing that with a response.” Percy tells her. It’s only the <em>worst</em> first kiss of all time.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Kiss me again.” Annabeth demands, leaning back against the car and closing her eyes.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>This time, Percy does it right. Her lips mold against his so naturally and taste like everything good in the world, and it’s all he can think that she is the happiest place in the world. She deepens the kiss under him, her hands coming up on either side of his neck and curling into his hair, and all coherent thoughts fly out of his brain. Later, he’ll think about how awesome it was- kissing Annabeth Chase under the stars in a stolen car- but now, he lets himself be carried away in the moment. Her kiss is soft but firm- gentle but confident in the way she holds him. He can lie there forever, he thinks. Just Percy, the girl, and the sky- and they do. They lie there and they kiss and they laugh and they joke- and mostly they kiss some more- until eventually the sun starts to come up and their kisses get shorter and it’s time to go back home.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Did I make it up to you?” He asks her as he helps her off the hood of the car. “The second time around?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“No.” Annabeth says innocently. “You should come over afterwards and try again.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You’re so bossy.” Percy tells her, pecking her again on the cheek because now, he supposes, he can do that. He does it once more just to prove to himself that it’s true.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I know.” Annabeth says, slipping her hand into his. “Now, drive me home. I’ve got a cute date and I don’t want to be late.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“A cute date, do you?” Percy raises his brow and Annabeth nods. In the early morning light, he can see her swollen lips and her pink cheeks and it makes her all the more irresistible. He hotwires the car once more and kisses her.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yeah. It’s going to be somewhere really nice.” Annabeth tells him matter-of-factly.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I feel bad for the man.” Percy says. “You’re kind of a handful.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Oh, please.” Annabeth rolls her eyes. “If anything, he should be thanking his lucky stars.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Her fingers are slender between his and n his and he can still taste her on his lips and Percy gives her a giddy smile.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“As far as stars go, he did get pretty lucky, didn’t he?”</p>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. make it magical</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>Every great director takes an acting class or two, Annabeth. Maybe performing on stage will help you connect better with your actors</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So that’s a big fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>lie</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If anything, Annabeth has even less patience for actors who struggle with direction. Her instructions are far clearer than this bumbling buffoon and he’s putting together a fairly coherent play. It makes no sense to her, then, that her direction is generally considered harsh and difficult across the school. If the acting students would just </span>
  <em>
    <span>do as they’re told,</span>
  </em>
  <span> they’d be signing photos of themselves for fans and she’d be on her way to Cannes right now. She’s an artist, god damn it, and she should be allowed some frustration when her idiotic cast insists on moving out of the frame or in front of the strobes despite a thousand blocking rehearsals. Honestly, if she were an actor on her own set, half her problems would be gone by now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can we get Cinderella to centre stage?” The director calls and Annabeth stalks up to the centre, her arms crossed over her chest. “Great. Now, enter Prince Charming.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Travis Stoll stumbles clumsily onto stage, wearing a goofy grin and a lopsided plastic crown, just as the director calls for the music to start. Travis is careful in the way he holds Annabeth’s waist- his palm rests just a little over her hipbone and his fingers spread out over the small of her back. His other hand holds hers so tenderly she almost can't believe he’s the same guy who, only ten minutes ago, knocked over the set department’s blue paint all across the stage.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And action!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth lets  him lead her and marvels, a little, at ust how easily he twirls and dips and lifts her as they glide smoothly across the stage. They hit every spot that’s been blocked and somewhere overhead, she can hear the lighting crew scramble to keep up with them. Their director, some idiot called Matt Sloan, finally calls for them to cut and Travis drops her hands easily, taking a step away from her and breathing a little heavily. Annabeth finds herself doing the same thing- her cheeks feel hot under his gaze.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, that was great- Annabeth, you’re still a little faster than Travis so it looks like you’re leading him. Slow down. I’m going to have a chat with the sound team and we can take it from the stepsisters’ shoes scene, yeah?” Matt calls and Travis scratches the back of his neck, his cheeks a bright red.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She can’t bring herself to blame him, really; their waltz is the crux of the entire show. They’re expected to be light on their feet and heavy in their emotions and Annabeth appreciates that it is difficult for an actor to slip in and out of character. In this moment, she’s expected to be Annabeth- act, walk and talk like Annabeth Chase would- but her brain is still stuck in Cinderella’s- and she doesn’t mean it to be, but she’s a little bit in love with Travis Stoll right now. (She’ll kill you if you told anyone that.)</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Great rehearsal, guys!” A voice calls and Annabeth starts, Cinderella jumping out of her body like Percy had just conducted an exorcism. Automatically, her lips quirk up and a very different kind of love settles in her belly- a real, decidedly non-fictional love- for her best friend. She didn’t see him come in but he jogs down the auditorium and plops down on one of the empty seats in the first row, glaring at Annabeth and Travis. “Sloan, can I steal your princess for lunch now?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Actually, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Jackson</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Matt sneers. “I kind of need Cinderella, seeing as this is a production of Cinderella, and she’s kind of the main character-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh get off it, Matt.” Percy rolls his eyes and kicks his feet up on one of the other empty seats. “The girl needs to eat, doesn’t she?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not if she wants to fit into that corset on opening night.” Sloan says and Percy mirrors the way Annabeth scowls at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Annabeth.” Percy calls with a grin. He points to Sloan with his thumb. “I think you’re looking in the wrong direction for your Prince Charming. This guy over here just has everything going for him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth laughs and steps away from Travis, the air around them cooling down almost instantly. She meets his eye and he looks away awkwardly and she feels her forehead start to sweat. They shared a certain intimacy doing that dance- share it every single day at rehearsal- and she isn’t sure she’ll ever be able to look her old friend in the eye the same way again. She sees him swallow nervously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Yeah, man. I think the entire crew needs a break.” He says, his voice one octave too high. He nods up at the lighting crew. “It looks like Jason’s going to pass out up there.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s right. Jason Grace is fanning himself and dripping in sweat and Annabeth feels a little guilty for nearly forgetting he was even there. She waves up at him and he raises a tired hand in acknowledgement. She’s had Jason work the lighting on so many of her films- he’s a genius, sure, but he’s also great at making himself entirely unseen for the most part. Matt frowns up at him and presumably marches off to have a word and waves dismissively over his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re on a twenty five minute break.” He calls. “If I don’t have Cinderella back in time, I’m recasting.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth ignores his empty threat and grins at Percy. She hops off the stage and he’s already there to catch her gently around the waist before setting her on the ground. He slings an arm over her and looks over their shoulder to scowl in Travis’ direction. Annabeth follows his gaze to find Travis entirely unbothered, sipping on water and chatting up Katie Gardner from the props department.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s his problem?” Percy grumbles and Annabeth raises her eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who, Sloan?” She asks. “He’s just incompetent. And directing the worst story in the world, so- I cut him some slack.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, not him. I mean Stoll.” Percy says as they leave the auditorium doors and make their way to the cafeteria. “He’s always just- </span>
  <em>
    <span>looking</span>
  </em>
  <span> at you. And </span>
  <em>
    <span>talking</span>
  </em>
  <span> to you, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>dancing</span>
  </em>
  <span> with you. He’s such a creep.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You mean he’s being my friend.” Annabeth says flatly and Percy shakes his head with a frown.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t get it.” He says, like he Knows. “It’s a Guy thing. He sucks, that’s all you need to know. You can’t date him or whatever. He’s weird.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They grab their lunch trays and sit at their usual table, and Grover finds them almost immediately. He slides in beside Annabeth.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How was rehearsal?” He asks her, stealing one of her fries despite having an entire plate of his own. Annabeth shrugs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good. A little strange.” She admits. “I think I wanted to kiss Travis Stoll today.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Why</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Percy demands his grip tightening so hard on his water bottle it starts to crumple. “Travis Stoll </span>
  <em>
    <span>sucks</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Grover- tell her how he’s an absolute pig person and a total asshole.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Grover shakes his head and looks at Annabeth. “Percy’s never acted a day in his life.” He says. “I get it though. Travis is Prince Charming, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Annabeth nods. “And we have to do this like, really intimate dance, and it’s just- a lot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure.” Grover says sympathetically. “And he’s not bad-looking, either.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Am I blind?” Percy asks. “What is it about him that’s so incredible? He’s lanky and awkward and so clumsy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Grover rolls his eyes and Annabeth blinks at him. She isn’t entirely sure what’s going on with Percy today- she swears he’s far better behaved on most days. Maybe if you stick around, you’ll see how easy it is to love him. Actually, scratch that. It’s not like Annabeth needs any more competition for his attention. She’s already got some intense competition in Drew and Rachel. You don’t have to be another person into Percy to make her insecure.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maybe you should take an acting class.” Grover says. “See first hand what it’s like to wear your heart on your sleeve. I hear Drew Tanaka’s starring in a Barbie of Swan Lake adaptation and they’re looking for a Prince Daniel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not serious.” Annabeth interjects before Percy can respond. It’s not that she has the right to decide what Percy does and doesn’t do, but there is no way in hell she’s letting him get cozy with gorgeous Drew Tanaka without kicking up a fuss. Percy raises his brows at her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What a strange choice for a play.” He says. “If I wanted to be an actor, I’d have beaten out Travis Stoll for the Prince Charming part in a heartbeat. I am not an actor, I am only here in these hallowed halls for one thing- to learn music and to get to Berklee next year. So if they need a score for the play, let me know, but other than that- I am </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> interested.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s two things.” Grover points out and Percy flips him off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s up with all the fairy-tales and fairy-tale-aligned projects this semester?” Annabeth asks, taking a long sip of her green smoothie. Percy shrugs his shoulders.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know.” Grover says. “But Annabeth, you should really be counting your blessings that you skipped out on cinematography.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We spent three classes dissecting every shot in the 2018 Beauty and the Beast movie because Reyna said it was one of her favourites.” He rolls his eyes and Annabeth is inclined to agree.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s the last person I’d expect to get caught up in some foolish fantasy.” Annabeth grumbles. “What did you say?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tree of life and you know it.” Grover says and Percy interrupts.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey.” He frowns at Annabeth. “I’d let you two film nerds go on, but I have a far more important question for you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go on.” Annabeth says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s up with you and fairytales? Do you not believe in them?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth snorts and Grover bursts out laughing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Percy, have you met my parents?” She asks. “Do they </span>
  <em>
    <span>seem</span>
  </em>
  <span> like the kind of people who let me grow up with fairytale fantasies? Do you really think Dr. Frederick Chase was insistent on keeping me protected in a bubble where I could be a princess and sing with birds and be rescued by true love’s kiss?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Percy’s frown deepens. “I mean, there’s more to fairytales than just that, right?” He asks and Annabeth almost admires him for it. “It’s age-old tradition. What about the magic?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think magic is what happens behind the scenes in a movie.” She tells him. “Or when two people meet and fall in love and decide to work on it together. Magic is an everyday phenomenon. Fairytales make it seem like so much more. It’s cliché.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If magic is so everyday, why would it be called magic in the first place?” Percy asks and Annabeth shrugs her shoulders.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“And if every day isn’t a little bit magical, what’s the point of life?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re not right just because you’re confident.” Percy tells her and Annabeth frowns at him. “I just thought you were the hopeless romantic among the three of us. Clichès don’t automatically make something bad. It just means it works.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maybe I just believe in a different kind of romance. And I am </span>
  <em>
    <span>always</span>
  </em>
  <span> right.” Annabeth says and Percy leans forward. His eyes sparkle and his smile is smug and she wants nothing more than to kiss it off of him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright, Princess.” He says. “I can prove you wrong in one day if you give me the chance.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth raises her eyebrow at him and next to her, she can see Grover put his face in his palms.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is going to be a disaster- I can feel it.” He mumbles and Percy grins at Annabeth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure. It has the potential to be catastrophic.” He allows. “But I don’t care, as long as you know that </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m</span>
  </em>
  <span> right, and you’re wrong, and every overused trope in a fairytale romance is the epitome of love.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth narrows her eyes. “Stop waffling and state your terms.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Spend twenty four hours with me.” Percy says, as if that’s not all she does anyway. She crosses her arms over her chest. “Starting this evening, after school- you and me, alone- twenty four hours. I’ll be the Prince of your dreams, and your job, darling, is to not fall in love with me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s a little late for that, Annabeth thinks. She snorts. “I guarantee you, you behaving like a modern day Disney prince will change nothing about the way I feel about you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You think you can dance with</span>
  <em>
    <span> Travis Stoll</span>
  </em>
  <span> for ten minutes and fall a little in love with him, but me saving you from the dangers of New York City won’t do it for you?” Percy asks and Annabeth rolls her eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, that’s exactly what I think. I’m no Cinderella and you sure as hell aren’t Prince Charming.” She tells him and he steals the last of her fries. She blinks down at her now empty plate and then at  her friends’ and frowns. “Stop stealing my food.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It just tastes better when it’s yours.” Grover says and Percy nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Besides, I can’t do this all day tomorrow when I’m being the perfect gentleman, so I need to get it out of my system now.” He adds and Annabeth rolls her eyes. She gets up and finishes the last of her green juice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I need to get back to rehearsal, so thanks for nothing.” She says. “Also, Percy, now that I think about it- can I record our twenty four hours? I still don’t have any inspiration for my final film submission and maybe Boy Loses His Mind, Tries To Relive Disney’s Glory Days in the Twenty First Century will inspire me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut up.” Percy laughs. “Sure. What happened to the other one you wanted to work on?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, the one with the girl who’s mom gets shot and then she finds out she’s in the middle of this huge corporate conspiracy. That sounded so good.” Grover agrees. Annabeth shakes her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I looked back at all the films I’ve made and realised the mom’s always dying. I don’t want Mr. Brunner calling me in to speak about any issues I might have surrounding my mom, so I figured I’d diversify my stories a little.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If it's any consolation, I think you execute dead mom direction with a certain finesse.” Grover says amicably and Annabeth ruffles his hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, thanks. I’ll see you at the end of the day. Wish me luck.” </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>~~</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good work today, Annabeth.” Katie Gardner says as they wrap up for the day. Annabeth shoulders her backpack and smiles as Katie falls in step with her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, Katie. Honestly, I cannot wait to be done with this stupid play so I never have to act again.” She says. They turn the corner and walk up to their lockers, where Annabeth pulls out her camera and slips the strap over her neck and stuffs a notebook in her bag. Katie raises her eyebrows.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you shooting a film for the final?” She asks. “I didn’t even know you’d begun! Who do you have helping you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The good news about attending a school dedicated solely to the arts is that you always, always have access to students with relevant skills who are willing to work on your project. Every assignment is a school-wide group project, and Annabeth has found her niche quite easily. Percy helps with her scores, Grover does her camera work, Jason is her cinematographer and Silena is her makeup artist. The bad news, however, is that word on every project gets around rapid fast. Katie looks almost disappointed not to have been asked for set design help and Annabeth feels guilty.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nobody.” She says honestly. “I can’t work with Piper again because of how disastrous our previous  shoot was. I haven’t been able to come up with a single coherent thought for a film. I’m stuck. I’ve got no actors, no story and absolutely no motivation.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Pretty sure that’s what we call the development stage in the business.” Katie nudges her shoulder and gives her a sympathetic smile. “You’re going to be fine. If you need costumes and set work at all- you know where to find me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If I ever get to that stage.” Annabeth says miserably. “I’ve barely enjoyed making the last couple of films and I got told- by an actual teacher- to take an acting class because I couldn’t direct my actors well enough. The </span>
  <em>
    <span>one</span>
  </em>
  <span> thing a director’s meant to do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a great first AD, though.” Katie points out as they stop at her locker next. “Maybe you could just do some work for Clarisse like you did last time?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth shakes her head. “I need a full ten minute short for the Tisch application.” She says miserably. “If I can premiere it at Movie Bites Night, I can maybe use the feedback and hand in a good film.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Movie Bites Night is this weekend. You don’t even have a crew.” Katie says. “Or a film idea. There’s no way you could put one together and work on Sloan’s play by Friday.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She’s right, Annabeth knows it. She sighs and knocks her head against the lockers as Katie stuffs her books in. She pulls out their maths textbook and scowls at it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’d think Hollywood’s next biggest stars would get a free pass on algebra.” She gumbles. Then she nods to Annabeth’s camera. “What are you planning on shooting today?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh.” Annabeth bursts out laughing. “Percy promised me twenty four hours of pure, unadulterated fairytale nonsense. He thinks he can get me to fall in love with him by, I don’t know. Putting me in a coma and kissing me awake or something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re already halfway there.” Katie says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How did you- you know what, shut up.” Annabeth says flatly. Katie rolls her eyes, and then stops in her tracks just as they get out to the front of the school. Annabeth glares at her and taps her foot impatiently as a large smile starts to slowly form on Katie’s face. “Can we get going? I’m tired, I’ve got to walk back home today, and I’m in a pretty shit mood if I’m being honest.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Katie says, her eyes fixed on something over Annabeth’s shoulder. “One of those problems has been solved.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth follows her gaze and her stomach drops to her toes. She doesn’t know whether it’s funny or embarrassing that Percy Jackson is standing by the school exit, his arms wide open and balanced carefully in the back of a horse-drawn carriage, beaming so widely at her it threatens to rip his face in half. He’s still wearing his cargo shorts and a loose t-shirt from the morning, and she’s somewhat thankful that his bit didn’t include an outfit change, and a bunch of students are crowded around him, cooing over the white horses and making conversation with the man who rides them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Annabeth Chase,” Percy’s voice booms over the student body and across the cool New York air. “Are you ready to have your toes curled, your breath stolen, your heart absolutely charmed on the best day of your life?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everyone’s eyes turn to Annabeth and she’s so shocked for a moment it’s all she can do to stare. Then, without a single word, she brings her camera up to her eye and begins recording. Percy takes the cue and is kind enough to repeat his exact words once more. Annabeth manages a laugh this time, recording everything as the students give her way as she walks over. Percy jumps off the carriage and holds her waist, lifting her up easily into the seat before joining her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright, Ralph,” He calls. “My lady has been seated. I think we are good to go.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth leans back in her seat and laughs, focusing her camera on Percy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How much did this cost you?” She asks and Percy’s ears turn bright red.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not important right now.” He tells her. Then he frowns at her camera. “Can you not record us both? Or do it in a way so I’m not talking to this lens?” He taps the side and Annabeth slaps his hand off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine.” She sets it carefully on the seat in front of them and makes sure they’re both in the frame. “This is ridiculous, by the way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What, this baby here?” Percy asks innocently. “I think it’s perfect.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re insane. And presumably broke.” Annabeth tells him and Percy laughs, tossing his head back. His eyes crinkle and his Adam’s apple bobs when he does, and Annabeth feels like she’s seeing him for the first time all over again. Her stomach squeezes and her chest aches with just how much love she has for the boy in front of her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, most definitely.” Percy says. “I had to organise this whole thing last minute as well- that wasn’t easy on the wallet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And for what?” Annabeth asks flatly. “Prove me wrong? Is this really worth it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh. To prove you wrong?” Percy raises his eyebrows. “I would literally give both arms and legs just for the chance. You’re really annoying when you’re right.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She knows he’s making fun of her, and she knows the smart, normal thing to do is to come up with some ridiculous retort- but she looks at Percy now, shining like gold under the sun with eyes that sparkle with intelligence and fun- and she can’t help but think about all the angles she’d like to shoot him in. If she could direct him, if she could get him in front of her camera just </span>
  <em>
    <span>once</span>
  </em>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, what happens if I’m right?” Annabeth asks and Percy shrugs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you want?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want you to star in whatever film I make next.” She says and Percy grins.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not an actor.” He weighs out his options. “But you’re also not winning, so I think we’re good. Fine. If you don’t fall in love with me when I do the cheesiest things in the world you can direct me in any film you want. Except a porno- which I will be open to if it also stars Audrey Hepburn.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s dead.” Annabeth says and Percy pretends he’s surprised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, tell me that isn’t true!” He cries. “I feel like I only just missed my shot with her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s upsetting news, I understand.” Annabeth tells him and tries not to pay attention to how his arm is slung over the back of her seat. “Will you do it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure. And if I win-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you win you get to be right.” Annabeth interjects. Percy winks at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh no. See, if I win, you’ll be in love with me by tomorrow evening.” Percy says. “Which means you have to get up and, in front of the entire school- you need to admit that cliches and magic are not overrated… and then you need to ask me on a date.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The chances of Annabeth ever confessing to Percy how much she cares about him are next to none, so she’s absolutely fine taking on the challenge. She rolls her eyes and shakes his outstretched hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s a deal.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>~~</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rest of their day goes like this: Percy keeps redefining what a modern day Prince Charming would behave like, and Annabeth keeps recording them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A part of her is content just the way they are- she gets to record Percy in his best moments, when he’s being himself and silly the way he only ever is with her. She captures him in natural light she’d never seen him in before, and in angles she’d never experimented with before, and he talks a whole lot to her about the things he likes and the funny things he’s heard. There is something special, she thinks, about knowing him the way she does. At school, Percy is quiet and reserved, and usually, he’s the kid with the freakish innate understanding of just about any instrument he touches.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s different with her, like he’s different with Grover. His hands, so skilled and with more talent in them than her whole body, are soft and pliant in hers now as they wander through the streets of New York. His laugh is loud and face is gentle and he is the most incredible person she’s ever met. How could she not love him, she thinks- when he runs his fingers through his hair and his ears turn red. He lets her record him- all of him- and she thinks maybe this is an intimacy of its own; something she’d never be able to share with Travis Stoll. Something she’d never be able to share with anyone else.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, stop. I’m going to record you now.” He says and Annabeth frowns at him. He plucks the camera easily out of her hands and points it at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t even know how to shoot a movie.” Annabeth says and Percy rolls his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know how to push a button.” He says. “This is just us being us, right? Well- you being your usual, sour self and me being the wonderful, charismatic young man I am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think that’s very romantic of you to say.” Annabeth glares at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, you’re right. Before we get to our date, I need to read out a poem for you.” He hands her back her camera. “Here. Hold this.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He pulls out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and looks at her over the edge.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So this is just an old receipt.” He says, showing both her and the camera. “And I’m going to be speaking from the heart, so I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t make fun of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course not.” Annabeth says earnestly. “I would never.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Percy clears his throat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Annabeth, O Annabeth,” He starts and Annabeth snorts, earning a glare. She holds a hand up in apology and pretends to zip her lips shut. Percy starts over.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Annabeth, O Annabeth,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You are as irritating as a rainy summer day.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Sticky and warm instead of cool and sunny,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Where the skies should be blue, they are grey.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Annabeth, O Annabeth,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’m only joking and you are talented beyond words.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It is my hope one day you will find enough inspiration</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>To stop basing your projects off of Hitchcock’s ‘The Birds’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Annabeth, O Annabeth,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You are my best friend.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Every day I wake up praying,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That one day this torture will end</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He closes his receipt and shoves it back into his pocket, his eyes closed for a moment while he pretends to wipe tears off his face. Then he takes back her camera and points it at her with one hand, using the other to pull her into him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So did you like it?” He asks and Annabeth makes a big show of it. She blinks her eyes up at him and bats her lashes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The most romantic thing anyone's ever done for me.” Annabeth tells him and Percy’s laugh rumbles through his chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know what princes do?” Percy asks casually after a beat. Annabeth raises her eyebrows.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kiss a girl in a coma?” Annabeth guesses. “Claim he fell in love and then immediately forget what she looks like? Like about who they are so they can trick a woman-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” Percy cuts her off. He slows them both down. “They save their damsels in distress. Only problem: you’re no damsel, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m</span>
  </em>
  <span> the one in distress.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I’m sorry. Would you like for me to eat a poisoned apple? Sell my voice to a devil?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Obviously not.” Percy rolls his eyes, and then, faster than her eyes can catch, he sweeps his leg under her, hard, and she hears one single heel snap. “We make our own distressing situations.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Woah!” Annabeth yelps as she drops to the ground. She blinks down at her now broken heel- her favourite pair, mind you- and then up at Percy in disbelief. “You broke my heel!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Cinderella only needed one shoe to get home.” Percy waves off, holding his hand out and helping her up so she balanced precariously on her single leg. Then, with no warning, he scoops her up bridal style and grins. “Lucky for you, you’ve got a handsome young man willing to carry you to our next destination.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is horrible.” Annabeth says, her arms linking around the back of his neck of their own volition. “I think I actually hate you. It’s borderline abuse, you know. You broke my heel.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And you promised it wouldn’t make you fall in love with me, but here we are.” Percy hums. They turn up the high street and Annabeth wriggles in his hold. Nobody is paying them any attention at all, but it doesn’t make being carried around the city any more comfortable. “Okay, so most princesses meet their princes at a ball, right?” He asks and Annabeth nods. “We’re going to get you dressed for one- fairy godmother style- with some new shoes because I can’t carry you everywhere. It’s exhausting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>your fault.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe if you were a better director.” Percy shrugs. “And didn’t spend all your time making googly eyes at Travis Stoll, you’d be standing on your own two feet right now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth rolls her eyes as they enter the cheapest shop on the street. Percy refuses to let her have a say in what he picks out for her- an ugly bright red lace sundress and the clunkiest pair of sandals she’s ever seen- and then he shoves her into the changing room while explaining to the kind lady working there that Annabeth will be walking out in their finest clothes because the ones she has on are absolute garbage.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s your problem with Travis Stoll anyway?” Annabeth asks as she entertains him for a single moment, pulling her hoodie over her head and shimmying into the dress. It’s hideous. She hates it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you like him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I do.” Annabeth says. “What’s not to like?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. I mean- do you have a crush on him? When you look at him the way you did at rehearsal… do you </span>
  <em>
    <span>love</span>
  </em>
  <span> him?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth wishes she could tell Percy exactly what she feels for Travis when they’re acting. She swears, it’s not her that might or might not have a tiny crush on him- it’s Cinderella. When the play is over and she never has to act again, she’ll forget all about it and life can go back to normal. How do actors do this- over and over again with a hundred different people? She opens her mouth to explain, feeling a little guilty, but she catches herself. What is it to Percy, anyway? She’s only spent the last three years trying to get his attention and he’s stubbornly looked in any direction except her. He has no right, she thinks, to demand to know who she is and isn’t interested in. It’s tiring, and disheartening, and a complete waste of time to chase after a boy who’s obviously never going to feel the same way about her. She pulls her new sandals on with renewed vigour.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maybe I do.” She says coldly. “Why do you care?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The door swings open and Percy’s gaze is hard. His jaw is locked and his lips are pressed in a thin line.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re allowed to do whatever the hell you want with Travis Stoll.” He tells her flatly, all humour gone without a trace. “By all means, carry on. I don’t care at all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine.” Annabeth says, crossing her arms over her chest.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Fine.” Percy says, just as aggressively.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In hostile agreement, the pair of them march back out into the street. The walk in silence until Annabeth pulls out her camera once more. She records New York as night falls over the skies, the lights that sparkle and the people that exist within the same sphere. They walk past the Tisch building, and she pretends, for a second, that she actually goes there already. Grover will be in Pennsylvania studying photography and Percy will be in Berklee doing music, and they’ll drive over to see each other all the time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are you thinking about?” Percy asks before he comes into the frame.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How this could be my future.” Annabeth tells him, and Percy slips his hand into hers. Whatever fight they’d just had is brushed under the rug because some arguments aren’t even really worth the apology that comes after. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you let me stay in your dorm when I visited?” Percy asks and Annabeth nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Duh. I want all my college friends to think I’m having casual sex with you.” She says and Percy frowns.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Oh. It’s a part of my new persona. I’m going to be loosey-goosey in college. I’ll be a cool, no-relationship kind of gal.” Annabeth says and laughs at the look on his face. “New year, new me, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want to be supportive of you, really, I do.” Percy says. “But you wouldn’t last a day seeing someone casually.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>planning</span>
  </em>
  <span> to </span>
  <em>
    <span>change</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Annabeth tells him loudly and slowly, and he laughs out loud. “Also I’m going to have my belly pierced.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, fine.” Percy tells her, squeezing her hand gently. “Change everything about yourself, if that’s what you want. But just so you know- I think you’re pretty amazing the way you are.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There’s no reason her heart should flutter the way it does. Percy presses his hand over her stomach, his palm just over her belly button, and he leans in close to her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please don’t get a belly piercing.” He says. “You’re an outie. Objectively, it’s a terrible choice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my god.” Annabeth says, looking up at Percy. She knows exactly what they should do right now. “Do you want to get matching piercings right now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>No</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Percy tells her, quickly kissing her temple as he does. “No. Now we go to the ball.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The ‘ball’ is one AirPod in each of their ears and the least crowded part of Central Park. Percy plays some truly questionable music, but he waltzes her around the grass with the skill and confidence of a man who’s been practicing- and maybe there’s something about the effort he’s put in that makes her melt just a little bit. His hand finds her waist and he pulls her flush against his skin and his touch burns her. She lets him lead to what starts off as ballads and flows into hard EDM territory, but their waltz never ends. He spins her and twirls her and holds her and dips her and Annabeth falls in love with him all over again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Percy’s eyes never leave hers, green and intense and so entirely pure in intent, and Annabeth feels like she’s in the most romantic film of all time. Her camera sits somewhere off to side, balanced carefully on a low hanging branch, recording them as they move, and she knows when she looks back at this footage, she’ll see herself as she truly is; hopelessly in love with her best friend. She tries to imagine this exact scene the way a director would- the main couple dancing through space and time and unbothered by the happenings of the universe; the most gorgeous scene unfolding in the background- the sun settings over the Grand Canyon or the sparkling lights of the Eiffel Tower. Two people in a world so much larger than them- but it doesn’t matter, because in this moment, her whole world is in the palm of her hands.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Percy pushes her out and then pulls her in, flush against his chest, and he holds her there- close enough that she can feel his short, quick breath on her neck, and she can’t bring herself to pull away. Without thinking, Annabeth reaches around him, her fingers curling in his hair, and she lets him hook his finger under her chin and tilt her face up to meet his eye. It feels an awful lot like a moment, Annabeth thinks, and her breath catches. She’s seen Percy in a thousand different angles before- but never like this. Never so close, never so tender. Her fingers itch for her camera but she knows that this is a moment she doesn’t want to share with anyone- not even her film reel.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Remember, Princess.” Percy says quietly, and his tone is teasing where his expression is not. “You can’t fall in love with me right now, or you’ll lose.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s hardly a challenge.” Annabeth lies, and she wonders if she’s as transparent as he is. If he thinks so, he does her a solid by not acknowledging it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Percy’s hand drops off the small of her back and it’s only then that she realises there’s heavy metal playing in her ear. The music never mattered anyway. Percy’s steps, synchronised neatly with hers while they created a little bubble of their own- that’s the only thing she knew was real about their dance. He steps away from her and the bubble bursts and they are standing one more in Central Park, two small players in a large, lonely world.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right.” Percy clears his throat and it’s too dark to tell if he’s blushing. Annabeth feels her cheeks heat up and her eyes start to sting with tears of embarrassment. “Dinner. A gentleman always makes sure his lady is well-fed, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not if I want to fit into that corset.” Annabeth jokes half-heartedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sloan’s a fucking idiot.” Percy says sagely and she’s inclined to agree.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>~~</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dinner is as impressive- and on brand for Percy- as the rest of their day. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A taco truck?” Annabeth asks and Percy nods proudly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The best in the city, I’ve heard.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is this one of those things where you tell me it’s amazing and I’m rightfully a little doubtful and you call me a big baby and then I spend the rest of the night on the toilet?” Annabeth asks and Percy shrugs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you tell your guts to stop being a baby, I think it’ll all work out just  fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>To his credit, Percy is right. The tacos are incredible and better than anything Annabeth’s ever eaten. They’re also the spiciest food Annabeth has ever eaten and she has tears streaming down her face by the end of it. Percy refuses to cut her any slack and insists not only on laughing at her, but recording the entire debacle as well. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re such a pussy.” He’s crying out of laughter and Annabeth scowls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re such a dick.” She grumbles. “Why did I think letting you haul me about anywhere you want was a good idea?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because you love spending time with me.” Percy says before handing her back her camera. She takes a couple of shots of the taco truck from different angles and sits down beside him again. He nods to it. “How do you like shooting today?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I forgot how much fun it was.” Annabeth says. “I know I’m not shooting anything in particular, but it feels nice, you know? Getting your shots exactly like you want. It reminds me of before school, when I’d just shoot home videos to kill time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Has anyone told you you’re kind of a control freak?” Percy asks and Annabeth sticks her tongue out at him. “I can tell you’re enjoying yourself. Maybe you just need a break from all the high quality short films you’ve been directing and just focus on remembering why you liked movie direction in the first place, you know?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth nods and taps her fingers absently on her camera.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What about you?” She asks. “Don’t you ever get burned out from composition?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure.” Percy says. “Happens all the time. The other day I couldn’t tell the difference between an A minor and a C.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know what that means.” Annabeth says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s bad.” Percy tells her and she takes his word for it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How’d you get out of it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Percy is quiet and she looks up to meet his gaze. He’s watching her with a funny expression on his face. He reaches over and tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear, his eyes glazed over.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, easy.” He says, voice far away. “I just found a muse.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A muse.” Annabeth snorts, jealousy rising in her throat. She didn’t even know Percy had a crush on someone, let alone someone who inspired him out of a rut. “Who?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That part isn't important.” Percy says. “Just find something that inspires art within you, you know?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is she someone I’d know?” Annabeth pushes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not telling you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Please</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>No</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m in distress. Save me, my knight in shining armour. Tell me who your muse is.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s none of your business!” Percy snaps and Annabeth shuts up. It’s not often she pushes Percy that far, but he doesn’t lose his temper with her often. She looks down at her fingers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So tell me about her, then.” She mumbles and Percy is quiet for a long time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s pretty great.” He says quietly, and she isn’t sure if he’s talking to her or himself. “I see her face, sometimes, and the music writes itself. Romance is an art, right? And I’m an artist. I should be able to put two and two together- but I can’t. She’s just… intimidating to talk to like </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So… you’re a coward.” Annabeth teases lightly and Percy laughs it off. He scratches the back of his neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aren’t we all, just a little?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth loops her arm through his and rests her head on his shoulder. She’s a little bit of a coward too, she knows. It’s easier to focus on this girl- this wretched girl- who wouldn’t see how talented and funny and kind Percy Jackson is, who’s breaking her best friend’s heart into a million little pieces- than her own heart that mimics his. One day, she hopes she’ll be brave enough to tell him. One day she’ll stand up in front of the whole world and tell him she sees him, tell him she knows him and loves him for every wonderful thing he is. Loves him for every terrible, twisted part of him. He’s her best friend and she thinks he might even be her soulmate and the more she thinks about it, the closer she gets to sobbing right now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re just- wonderful, Percy.” She says into his shoulder. “That’s all. I don’t tell you that enough.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Percy knocks his head against hers lightly. “Stop being sappy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, Mr. ‘Romance is an art’.” Annabeth mocks and Percy shrugs her off his shoulder and shoves her playfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up, Annabeth.” He shakes her off of him and then pulls her into him anyway. “We should get going, though. Ralph’s going to come pick us up and I haven’t told my mom where we’ve been yet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So Annabeth lets him lead them back to their horse-drawn buggy, her hand firmly in his. Percy talks about what’s happening to his fantasy football league (Annabeth doesn’t care at all) and she falls a little bit more in love with him anyway. A natural, comfortable silence falls over them eventually and Percy is the one to break it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you had sex in space,” he starts and Annabeth laughs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh boy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, listen. There’s no gravity. So would the sperm and egg still fertilise?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think they’re dependent on gravity.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Surely they must be.” Percy argues and it feels like an appropriate end to the night.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ralph is barely hiding his smile by the time he pulls up to the Jackson-Blofis apartment and bids them farewell before accepting Percy’s cash and riding off into the darkness. Percy holds his arm out for Annabeth to take.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“M’Lady.” He says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“M’Lord.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sally Jackson is waiting for them when they get back with her arms crossed over her chest and a deep scowl on her face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Where</span>
  </em>
  <span> were you kids?” She demands. “I called you both- a hundred times. If it wasn’t for Percy constantly updating his Snapchat- which I had to download and figure out, by the way- I’d think you both were dead!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Ma.” Percy lets go of Annabeth to give his mother a hug. “I just got busy. I’m trying to get Annabeth to fall in love with me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sally doesn’t look impressed, but she pulls Annabeth and Percy into her arms anyway. She takes in Annabeth’s outfit and it’s obvious she’s holding back a comment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to know what that means.” She says. The woman’s watched them grow up together; there isn’t much they can say that would faze her. “Annabeth, it’s too late in the night. You aren’t going home alone. Just stay here and Percy can drive you home before school tomorrow. Percy, you take the couch.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s what I told her.” Percy looks over his shoulder at Annabeth and grins. “I’m giving you a place to rest your tired little head.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is the worst fairytale of them all.” Annabeth says and Sally looks between the two of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is obviously some game.” She says slowly. “And I am tired. I’m going to text your dad that you’re here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She leaves them to it and Percy leads Annabeth to his bedroom. He tosses her an old t-shirt and a pair of boxers and turns around while she changes out of her hideous dress, and Annabeth pretends she’s not hyper aware of him shimmying into his jammies behind her. He plops down on his bed ungracefully and she spreads herself across him. Percy struggles underneath her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh my god, get off me. You’re killing me.” He complains and Annabeth smiles into his neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, so.” Percy holds his hands on either side of her waist and rolls them over so he’s pinned her down between his knees. He sits back on his heels, careful not to drop his weight on her. “Just a checklist of the things I’ve done for you- got you a horse-drawn carriage.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure.” Annabeth says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Saved you from extreme danger and a broken ankle.” Percy continues</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“By breaking my heels for me.” Annabeth counters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Read you poetry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Awful poetry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pretty Woman-ed you up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“By dressing me like an ogre.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Slow danced with you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To electronic music.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Took you out to a fabulous meal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That set my insides on fire.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And now, I brought you home to meet the parents.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who I’ve known since we were twelve.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Percy narrows his eyes and stares at her. “You’re telling me you don’t see the magic in this.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The truth is, Annabeth does. She sees magic in everything Percy has ever done. There is magic in his thick brows and his sharp jaw and the curve of his nose. There is magic in the way he laughs and the feel of his skin against hers. There is magic in Percy Jackson, just like there always has been, and Annabeth will never find the words to explain it to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If anything,” Annabeth says. “I think you proved my point. There’s magic in every day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So today is </span>
  <em>
    <span>exactly</span>
  </em>
  <span> the same as any other time we’ve ever hung out?” Percy asks and Annabeth hesitates.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, it’s obviously different, because you were trying so hard, but-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So it’s not every day.” Percy counters. He rolls off of her and lies beside her and their shoulders brush. He turns his head and his gaze drops to her lips for just a moment. “Are you a little bit in love with me?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Wholly</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No.” Annabeth says and Percy’s lips twitch upwards, his eyes sparkling in joy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Lies</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not a lie.” Annabeth repeats and Percy laughs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine. I still have all day at school tomorrow. I’ll fight the evil dragon and vanquish your demons and when I kiss you, I’ll breathe new life into you. Then it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>over</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth refuses to entertain the idea of kissing him right now. They’re way too close to each other and she’s afraid her whole body will overheat at the mere thought. She closes her eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s been a fun day, though.” She says. “I’ve been so stressed over my short and the Tisch app and you’ve given me absolutely no ideas but it has been fun.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh my god.” She feels Percy shoot up from bed. She cracks one eye open and watches him disappear somewhere behind her and then he comes back holding his guitar. “I forgot about the serenading.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He makes himself comfortable on the bed and Annabeth sits up while he tunes his guitar. He strums it once, and then a couple more times before clearing his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t think of a love song about a best friend who, for some reason refuses to fall in love with the singer despite everything he’s done for her off the top of my head so once more, we’re going to ad lib.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course.” Annabeth allows and Percy plays a simple, four-note bar. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re my favourite person in the world,” he starts and instantly Annabeth feels like mush. His voice washes over her and this is what it must be like to come home to love and warmth. “You know there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you, girl-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Percy, it’s past midnight.” Sally appears at his door and frowns at the both of them. “Come on, Buddy. You’re up early tomorrow if you want to be at school on time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She gestures for him to leave Annabeth alone and Percy’s grin is wicked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“See this is the part where the young prince is kidnapped and held against his will in the dungeons, and it’s up to the princess to come save him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Save me</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Annabeth.” He says dramatically and Sally looks tired.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Annabeth- go to sleep.” She says with a yawn. “Please don’t make me have to mother the both of you. You’re almost eighteen. I’m tired.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth glances at Percy as he’s ushered out and presumably herded to the living room and snuggles under his sheets. She beams widely at Sally, who blows her a kiss and turns off the lights.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Be good. Sleep well, sweetheart.” She hears before Sally goes off to bed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth presses her face in the pillows and buries herself under the comforter. Everything around her smells like Percy- so strong she’s almost surprised when she realises he isn’t next to her right now. She waits for a beat longer, just to be sure Sally is really asleep, and then grabs her camera, turning it on as she carefully tiptoes out of Percy’s room. As a long term and frequent visitor, she navigates the apartment fairly easily and catches sight of Percy on the couch, the moonlight streaming through the large balcony doors and lighting him up. She records herself as she pokes him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His eyes snap wide open and his face breaks into a grin. “You came!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry it took so long.” Annabeth whispers. “Lots of obstacles I had to cross. Now come on, I’m breaking you out of here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Within seconds, Percy and her are snuggled up in bed, his arm around her waist and her back pressed to his chest. He turns on her camera and points it at them and speaks directly into it, resting his head on hers as he does.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just when hope seemed bleak and doom, inevitable- like a shining light in the dark my maiden in shining armour came to rescue me from the confines of my prison cell.” He rubs his cheek against hers and she squirms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop, you’re scratching me.” She complains, tracing a finger over his stubbly jaw.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You saved me, Princess. I am forever indebted to you.” Percy continues dramatically, tickling her sides. Annabeth slaps her hand over her mouth to stop from making any noise. The last thing she wanted to do was wake Sally up just to be told off for breaking house rules. Percy grins. “It’s too bad you’re losing this bet,” He says. “I’d make a fantastic actor for your film.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, right.” Annabeth rolls her eyes. “You know what I’m most concerned about, is that </span>
  <em>
    <span>you’re</span>
  </em>
  <span> about to fall in love with </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve gone five years resisting you.” Percy says, but his cheeks are warm and his heart hammers loudly against her shoulder. “I think I’ll be fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s not that Annabeth likes to disrespect Sally’s laws, really- it’s just that she likes soaking in Percy’s presence a whole lot more. He doesn’t seem particularly bothered about breaking the rules either- he nuzzles her neck and closes his eyes and keeps her close to him and Annabeth worries that she might actually die from feeling too much love for him. She turns around and presses herself impossibly tight against him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey.” She says and Percy hums, his eyes still closed. “You’re my best friend. You know that, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I do.” Percy says. “For life.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For life.” Annabeth agrees just as she drifts off to sleep.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>~~</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth wakes up to Sally standing over them, her arms crossed over her chest, while Percy drools into her hair, still fast asleep.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh.” Annabeth manages and Sally raises her eyebrows.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Oh.” Sally agrees. “You are in so much trouble, young lady.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, Sally.” She complains. “We were just </span>
  <em>
    <span>talking-</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s usually how it starts, isn’t it?” Sally asks. “And then you’re eighteen years old with a child on the way and chlamydia. Now get up. Let’s get you some breakfast. I made you pancakes with faces.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth feels a large smile grow on her face. “For me? Sally, you shouldn’t have.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t push it.” Sally laughs. “I’m still angry with the both of you for disobeying me, but I won’t have you go to that school starved.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Percy only wakes up after Annabeth is done with breakfast and yawns as he takes the chair beside her. His mother ruffles his hair and sets down a plate of pancakes before him and immediately he pours a worrying amount of maple syrup over it. Annabeth makes a face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re drowning them.” She says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mind your own business.” Percy tells her, still blinking the sleep out of his eyes. He groans. “I can’t believe we have two more days for the weekend. This is </span>
  <em>
    <span>agony</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I wouldn’t look forward to the weekend just yet, Romeo.” Sally says. “You’re both going to be up bright and early and you’re helping Mrs. Roberts with her rose garden as punishment.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy stares at her and then at Annabeth. “What are we being punished for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sleeping together.” Sally tells him. “When I told you that was </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, come on, Mom.” Percy groans. “It’s not like we had sex. Besides, we slept together all the time when we were kids.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, and Mrs. Roberts is </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> weird.” Annabeth complains. “Last time I walked by her front door she hissed at me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t care.” Sally says to Percy before looking at Annabeth. “And good. Maybe you’ll learn your lesson.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth slumps back in her chair and plays with her strawberries. Next to her, Percy tries to put up a fuss until Sally shuts him down and then he glares at his pancakes. They smile back up at him. Annabeth wants to laugh a little bit- she doesn’t know how many years they’ve gone like this- doing things they shouldn’t do and getting into trouble just so they could go back to doing other things they shouldn’t do. He knocks his ankle against hers under the table and winks at her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What have you got today?” He asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maths, and Sloan’s rehearsal.” Annabeth says glumly. “And some time in the editing lab, which I really need if I’m going to cut together something for Movie Bite Night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have a movie?” Percy asks, raising his eyebrows, and Annabeth shakes her head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, I’ve got a lot of behind the scenes footage from other sets so I was thinking maybe I’ll just do this like, super meta commentary on what makes a movie.” She isn’t particularly thrilled by the idea. “At least I won’t need a new cast and crew and I can have it done by the evening. Just means I’ll have to stay late working.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll come hang out with you.” Percy says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, you won’t.” Sally calls from the kitchen. “You promised Paul you’d go to that spin class with him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Mom</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Percy whines. “Paul won’t mind if I bail. Annabeth needs me! Look at her sad little face. She’s so lonely.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Annabeth, you’re going to get that film done and it’s going to be brave, and honest, and unique and it will embody everything you are.” Sally promises. “And Percy will make good on the commitments he makes to anyone who </span>
  <em>
    <span>isn’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>you. Just once in his life.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth smirks into her breakfast. “You </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> have a soft spot for me.” She teases and Percy rolls his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You wish.” He says, but she doesn’t miss the way his ears turn beet red. “Shut up, Chase. Eat your strawberries.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Percy drives her back home and hangs out with her brothers while she showers and then they head to school together. It’s a long, boring day- Annabeth’s first half is full of boring classes- she sleeps through maths and just about makes it through production and by the time English rolls around, she’s ready for a second nap. She makes it to play rehearsals to find Percy already sitting in the front row and frowns at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you have, like, a class to be in?” She asks and he nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. History of music. I’m skipping it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To slay the dragon, of course.” He says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What dragon?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright, actors. Places!” A voice barks and Annabeth rolls her neck. Matt Sloan struts up to the centre of the stage and scowls at Annabeth. “Cinderella, stop fucking about. I want you on stage </span>
  <em>
    <span>all the time,</span>
  </em>
  <span> you get me? Every scene- I want you here. God, this is amateur shit. Also- where is the costume department? How long till we have a dress rehearsal?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth almost feels sorry for Sloan. It’s not that she thinks he’s an asshole, really- he’s just incompetent and in charge of directing a large school production. It makes him stressed and unbearable and a pain in her ass. She shrugs helplessly at Percy and makes her way up to the stage. Travis grins at her and sets his hand on the small of her back, and she catches Percy scowling at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s up with Jackson?” Travis asks in her ear as Sloan goes on a tear over costume design.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have no idea. Just pray to god you’re not the dragon.” Annabeth mumbles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Huh</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth opens her mouth to answer, but it’s that moment that Sloan turns his attention on the both of them. He lets out a long, frustrated breath and glares at them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is it too much to ask,” He draws his words out slowly. “That my main cast stand still and pay attention on set? I’ve got a Prince Charming who is anything but and a Cinderella who is an absolute fucking novice. Annabeth- you’re a decent actress, really, you are. But you’re sloppy and uninterested and it’s obvious you don’t want to be here and if you are so adamant to not play Cinderella, I will recast you. Anybody in this school has more talent in their ass than you do and I’m fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>tired</span>
  </em>
  <span> of you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth looks at her feet. If this was something new, she might have been shocked- but Sloan oscillates between calling her the greatest actor he’s ever worked with and an absolute pile of hot, steaming trash with every mood he’s in and she has gotten used to it. She doesn’t even take it personally- all she can think right now is how she’s never spoken to her actors the way Sloan speaks to her on the daily, and yet she’s considered a hard-ass while Matt gets away with everything. Someone needs to make this make sense to her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, man. What the fuck?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her head snaps up to where Percy is standing up. His eyes shine and he glowers down at Sloan. Percy walks right up to Matt and grabs him by the collar, his voice low and shaking with barely concealed rage, and it’s all Annabeth can do to feel sorry for her director, who quivers under his gaze. The poor dragon.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You don’t speak to Annabeth that way, you understand me? You don’t speak to anybody that way. She’s a fucking treasure and is her acting makes this shit show seem worth it, so you’d better thank your lucky stars that of all the productions in this school, she got stuck doing your lousy, uninspired play. You’re going to apologise to her, man, and you’re going to do it </span>
  <em>
    <span>now</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Percy</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Annabeth warns. Matt goes from being a little taken aback to angry, and Percy’s only making it worse. “It’s fine. Sloan- we can just take it from the top.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut up.” Sloan snaps at her before shoving Percy, hard. “You know what, Jackson? I’m going to say whatever the fuck I want to say to your llittle girlfriend, and she won’t leave. You know why? She needs this credit. Here, watch.” He looks over his shoulder. “Annabeth, you’re a bitch and you’re tough on your actors and nobody likes working with you because you’re a perfectionist.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Of everything he’s ever said, that is the only thing to land. Annabeth sucks in a breath, too shocked to respond, and Travis slips his arm around her waist protectively, pulling her to his side. If Percy notices, he pays it no attention, because he lets out a low growl and then, with no warning at all- decks Sloan square in the face. Sloan crumples to the ground with a loud cry of pain and nobody makes any attempt to help him up. Annabeth starts to move forward, but Travis holds her back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Sloan.” Percy says quietly over him. “I just broke your nose and nobody wants to call the nurse. You’re a sad, pathetic little man and you’re not going anywhere.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looks up at Annabeth and shakes his head like he’s saying, can you believe this guy? And Annabeth is torn between being flattered that he’d stand up for her like that and appalled that she’d just watched her best friend punch a man to the ground. She opens her mouth and no words come out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s an asshole.” Percy tells her. “And you’re a great director.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Percy’s right.” Katie says from behind the curtains, and Travis rubs circles on her back. She glances up at him and he offers her a small smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a good actor and a wonderful director.” He says. “But you never needed us to tell you that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth looks between her friends, a little speechless. There are things she wants to say, questions she has. Is she really that difficult to work with? What’s the point of having a great vision if you’re a nightmare on set? But her friends smile at her and she can’t bring herself to face those truths. Was the perfect shot really more important to her than the way her cast and crew felt?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I could have done that myself.” She pushes away from Travis and her voice is watery. Percy grins and helps her off stage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, but I think this counts as me defeating the dragon.” He beams and wiggles his eyebrows. “All that there’s left to do- is seal the deal with a toe-curling, earth-shattering kiss.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ha-ha.” Annabeth says. She checks her watch. “It’s almost time for lunch. Does that mark twenty four hours?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Actually, I have till the end of the school day.” Percy says. “Do you need like, a mint or a chapstick?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I just want to be done.” Annabeth tells him. She’s not really in the mood to play along anymore and even a chance to kiss him doesn’t lift her spirits. Percy shrugs. “Kiss me and get this over with.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Suit yourself.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At any other time, Annabeth will have told you Percy is mild mannered. He’s polite and gentle and he treats her like she’s made of crystal- something delicate and rare and jagged. Right now, there’s no logical explanation as to what takes over him- he grabs her by the wrist and pulls her against his body, his hand pressing against the small of her back and keeping her close. He cups her face with his other hand and ducks his head until his breath fans over her cheeks. There’s a hungry look in his eye, and he licks his lips slowly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to kiss you now.” He whispers unsteadily, and Annabeth’s breath catches. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He’s going to kiss her now</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She nods and tilts her head up and he meets her halfway, taking her lips in his so smoothly it feels like they are meant to be together like this.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Percy is a surprisingly good kisser. His lips move against hers in gentle, fluid motions and his tongue slips into her mouth so naturally it almost feels weird to have lived in a time they weren’t kissing the way they are now. His hold on her tightens and the kiss deepens and Annabeth’s toes curl and the earth around them shatters and she is so hopelessly in love with him it’s unfair. When Percy pulls away, he rests his forehead on hers and she's vaguely aware of Travis letting out a </span>
  <em>
    <span>whoop</span>
  </em>
  <span>!, but she keeps her eyes closed, not ready just yet for the moment to end.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So do I win?” Percy asks, somewhat breathlessly, his lips still so close to hers it feels like he’s kissing her again. “Because I think,” he taps her cheekbone softly. “I just left you speechless. And that’s as good as a declaration of love, right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The words</span>
  <em>
    <span> my entire heart is yours and if ever I thought there would come a day when I didn’t feel like this about you, I know now for a fact that it’s impossible</span>
  </em>
  <span> are on the tip of her tongue. She opens her eyes and looks into his and there is a tenderness behind them that make her chest ache and she chickens out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No.” She says with a small smile and Percy pulls away from her. His eyebrows stitch together and he searches her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait. Are you serious?” He asks and she shakes her head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re my best friend, Jackson.” She tells him. “You lose, I was right- as always- and now you owe me one movie.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Percy takes a step away from her, his mouth twisting and the back of his neck turning bright red. He scowls at the ground and the tension in the room becomes so thick, Annabeth struggles to breathe. She doesn’t know what she’s meant to say to make the situation any better. She glances at Travis, who pointedly avoids her gaze and feels her stomach knot into itself. Even Sloan, who’s now back on his feet and nursing his bleeding his nose tuts.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That was hard to watch.” He says and Katie speaks from somewhere behind her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Matt. You should go get that checked out before your nose heals in that angle.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth opens her mouth to speak and no sound comes out. She steps towards Percy, but he shrugs her off and runs his hand through his hair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tell me when you need me to shoot.” His voice is hard and cold and she’s never had him take that tone with her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perce-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m leaving.” He says, before walking off. He pauses at the doors and calls over the entire auditorium. “You know,” he takes a breath and Annabeth feels tears sting at her eyes. “If you were serious, it’s no big deal. I just don’t think you’re being honest, and I don’t get why you think it would be that fucking crazy to go out with me. It just doesn’t make sense to me. You didn’t have to kiss me back. You didn’t have to kiss me like </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s a good thing he doesn’t wait for a response, because Annabeth doesn’t have one. She watches him leave, followed by Sloan who calls,</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“On that happy note, I think we’re breaking for the day.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katie comes up to Annabeth and wraps an arm around her waist and Annabeth blinks, her vision starting to blur.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s mad at me.” She says hollowly. In five years of friendship, Percy has never been truly angry with her, just as she has never actually hurt him before. Katie rubs circles on her back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like- really, truly angry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You did blatantly lie to him.” Katie says and Annabeth lets out an involuntary sob. “And I think you broke his heart a little bit too. Just give him some time. He’ll come around.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth sinks into the nearest seat and Katie sits down beside her. The rest of the cast and crew begin to trickle out and Travis joins them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I love him.” She says and Travis and Katie exchange a look. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why didn’t you tell him?” Travis asks her gently.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Because</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Annabeth throws her hands up in the air in frustration. Why didn’t she tell him? “Because he’s my best friend, and I didn’t want it to be awkward between us if I told him I was in love with him. How is he meant to look at me in the same way? This was such a stupid bet, and you know what sucks the most? I spent twenty four hours with him and it was one of the best days of my entire life. Look.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She fishes her camera out of her backpack and shows them the last couple of clips from her day with Percy. “It was the </span>
  <em>
    <span>perfect</span>
  </em>
  <span> date. Absolutely magical.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should tell him.” Katie says and Annabeth shakes her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He won’t believe me now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She buries her face in her hands. Great, she thinks. She’s got a film that’s going nowhere to edit together and her best friend is angry with her and she’s tired. She’s tired and upset, and if she’s being totally honest, she hasn’t even gotten over what Sloan said about her direction style. Everything she’s ever prided herself on- everything that had ever defined her worth- as a director, as Percy’s best friend, as the one person who can take a bunch of unusable takes and create something spectacular out of it- left the room with Percy and she’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Am I really a shit director?” She asks Katie. “You’ve seen me on set.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve never felt afraid of you.” Katie tells her honestly. “But I think- Sloan is right so far as your obsession with the perfect shot goes. You chase this ideal, and get frustrated when you don’t get it exactly as you see it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not a bad thing.” Travis adds. “It’s just that you make good movies with far less. You really are the last one who needs to be pressed over a bad shot. You fix everything in post.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It looks like my entire movie for Friday’s going to be made in post.” Annabeth says miserably. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you have an idea?” Katie asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just going to use some behind the scenes footage from all the films I’ve made this year.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can hang out with you.” Travis offers. “Come on. We can talk while you work. You haven’t got much time to hand it in.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That’s how Annabeth finds herself in the editing lab, sitting in front of a camera and unable to look at anything but the footage from her date with Percy. Katie coos over it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You guys fell asleep together?” She asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He broke your heel?” Travis laughs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It feels like an eternity ago. Annabeth bites her lip, the beginnings of an idea forming in her mind. Of everything she’s heard today, she thinks it might ironically be Matt Sloan who gives her the inspiration she needs to sew together a film for Friday night. Her problem is that she looks for too many of the perfect shots; that she drives her actors mad trying to find the right kind of truth in every scene. If she was just a little bit more </span>
  <em>
    <span>honest</span>
  </em>
  <span> in her filmmaking, she might have the most perfectly imperfect film already in her hands.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know what I think the most magical part of a fairytale is?” She drums her fingers against the table. Travis raises his eyebrows. “The big, romantic gesture.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like in front of the entire school?” Katie asks with a small smile and Annabeth nods. “Where’s this bravery coming from?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth’s mind is racing, a thousand frames a second. She can do it- she can make a movie for Friday evening, and it will be as Sally says- brave, and honest, and entirely Annabeth Chase. She’s already stitching together what she has mentally and she takes a shaky breath. She feels Travis breathing next to her and she’s reminded of how incredibly close to him she’s gotten. She slips her hand into his and he gives her a friendly squeeze.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There’s one thing acting did actually teach me,” She says. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Heart on her sleeve</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Katie’s smile is radiant and she takes Annabeth’s other hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know,” She tells her. “Every good director takes an acting class or two.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth laughs. “So I’ve heard.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, get to work.” Travis tells her. “You haven’t got much time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He kicks his feet up on the desk and ignores the way everyone else in the lab glares at him. Katie brings them lunch and they sit with her as she works straight into the night. Percy doesn’t check in on her- doesn’t drop in, call or text, and when she sees him the next day, he refuses to meet her eye. He doesn’t show up to rehearsals, which she supposes is a good thing because Sloan arrives with a bandaged nose and in an even fouler mood than the previous day.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Travis and Katie come sit with her in the editing lab again, and if she wasn’t running herself to the ground trying to make a whole ten minute film over two days, she might have felt like a third wheel. They flirt over her and she works- she works and she works and when she’s done, she premieres it for them and she thinks it’s the most imperfect movie she’s ever made. Her heart swells with pride. The camera work is a little shaky and she can only fix the exposure so much when her material was shot with one shitty lens- but it’s ten minutes of her falling in love with Percy all over again, and she thinks this is it; honest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So?” She asks, playing with her fingers when the end credits roll through the screen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think it’s great.” Travis says. “I can’t believe you pulled it off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Annabeth, it’s perfect. Percy’s going to </span>
  <em>
    <span>love</span>
  </em>
  <span> this.” Katie kisses her on the cheek.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth leans back in her chair and stares at her screen. There isn’t much left to do- she hopes her little movie will tell her best friend- and then Tisch’s admission department- all that she can’t. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Friday evening comes around a lot faster than she expects. She’s the sixth short film of the night, right after Reyna- who presents an intense film about homophobia and social class issues, which is a tough act to follow, and that’s not even considering that Annabeth’s central theme is </span>
  <em>
    <span>magic in everyday life</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hi.” She gets up on stage and she hears her friends cheering her on. A voice that is undoubtedly Travis calls,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, go on Captain Hard-Ass!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>She’s stood in front of the student body a hundred times and played them her films- but she still feels a hot blush creep up on her cheeks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut up, Travis.” She says into her mic, earning some laughter. “Anyway. This is kind of a different project, for me- it’s a little more autobiographical, and shooting it was the most fun I’ve ever had. I think I’m quite fortunate in that I’ve lived my life with some magic- a little bit, every day. I had the best time a couple days ago with my best friend, and it made me realise that I’ve been taking the single greatest miracle for granted lately, and thought I could maybe make a film about how important the relationships we share are. I can tell by the look on Travis’ face that I’m rambling, so I’ll shut up now. Anyway, enjoy my film, Yesterday’s Fairytale. Uh- yeah. Thanks.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She ends stupidly and runs off stage just as the familiar opening music starts to play. She keeps her eyes fixed on Percy, and he doesn’t look away from the screen once. Her heart hammers so hard in her chest she can barely hear the film, and Percy’s face remains expressionless the whole way through.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What a stupid idea, she thinks. She’s just put out all of her most precious, personal memories with Percy on a big screen and showed the entire school. He’s going to hate it. She made an entire film of her falling in love with him- her face starts to heat up and she struggles to breathe. It’s only after the end credits roll and the applause starts to die out that Percy meets her gaze. Somewhere inside her, she knows she’s supposed to  walk over and ask if he liked it- but her legs stay frozen on the spot.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Travis.” Katie whispers from his other side. “Give her a push.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Travis doesn’t need to be told twice, and shoves her, hard, sending her stumbling right up to Percy. He catches her around the waist easily and steadies her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Woah.” He lets out a soft laugh as Thalia starts to introduce her film. He glances up at the screen and then back at Annabeth. “You okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh.” Annabeth </span>
  <em>
    <span>cannot</span>
  </em>
  <span> breathe. Percy is standing over her, so close, his fingers on her back, and she doesn’t know how to breathe anymore. “You starred in my film.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should have got me to sign a release.” Percy tells her, a small smile growing on his face. “When you make it big, I’m going to sue you for so much money.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth looks down at her feet. “Does that mean you liked it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Liked</span>
  </em>
  <span> it-!?” Percy cries. Then he relaxes, hooking his finger under her chin and turning her face up to him. His smile is infectious. “I think you should kiss me and find out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So Annabeth does. She gets onto her tiptoes and kisses him once, and then again, and then she curls her fingers into his hair and kisses him a third time. He lifts her off her feet and twirls her around, and it’s only after he sets her down that she realises Thalia hasn’t played her film yet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Everyone’s watching us.” She whispers and Percy hums against her, pulling her back into him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good.” He says with his eyes closed. “Besides- since you’ve got their attention, I think there’s something you owe me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Of course. He’d won their stupid little bet. Annabeth pulls away from him just enough so she can clear her throat and address all the kids who are cheering for her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This shouldn’t be a big deal. You guys need to get a life!” She says and is met with a resounding boo!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ve been placing bets for years!” Someone calls and Annabeth blushes. Percy doesn’t seem to care at all, pressing kisses to her jaw, behind her ear, her neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ew, Jackson, get a room.” Someone else calls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just wanted to say,” Annabeth says when Percy steps on her toe, telling her to hurry up and get it done with. She sighs. “Cliches and magic are not overrated and are, in fact, very romantic. Also, I’d like for everyone to hear me ask Percy on a date. Percy, will you go out with me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She pushes him off of her so she can hear his response. All the other students cheer loudly and Percy pretends to consider it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nah, I’m not interested.” He says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m kidding.” Percy grins. “I’d be honoured.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He pulls her into a kiss again and they lose their friends’ attention. Thalia re-introduces her film and starts to play it and everyone focuses on that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve waited so long to do this, I don’t think I’ll ever stop.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re going to bruise my lips.” Annabeth says. “Congratulations on winning against me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How does it feel to be wrong?” Percy asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pretty great, actually.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. good omen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>There’s a rule to life: you do everything right, and life will reward you for it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Okay. Maybe it isn’t a hard and fast rule, but if there’s one thing Annabeth knows, it’s how to work for what you want. She’s done everything as it should be- do you think she likes downing a glass of celery juice first thing every morning, or staying back late after swim team practice to work on her kicks, or stays up at night reading up on politics she isn’t interested in just so she’ll have something to talk about over breakfast with her parents? Annabeth puts in the hours- for clear skin and more gold medals and easier mornings. She does the work, and, as a result, she is rewarded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Every so often, though, life likes to remind her that it doesn’t follow any laws. Ungoverned pandemonium and absolute chaos- times when her dad will ruffle her fringe and say, ‘guess it’s just a matter of being in the right place at the right time, kid.’ before turning his attention back onto anything else. There’s drawbacks to being good at the things she does- drawbacks to kicking ass in calculus, and being just charismatic enough to earn some extra tips at the cafe, and being the fastest girl on the swim team.  Annabeth isn’t good at most things, no- she’s the best. And sometimes, on days like this, when she sits by the edge of the pool and watches Percy Jackson laugh with stupid Rachel Elizabeth Dare-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Being the best is the fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>worst</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop staring.” Charles Beckendorf appears from somewhere to her left and sits down with her. He’s freshly showered- his hair is damp and his clothes stick closely to his body. Annabeth scowls in their direction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope they feel my spite.” Annabeth says. “I hope it drives them far, far away from each other.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Beckendorf laughs. “Your backstroke was sloppy.” He says. “And he’s only teaching her to swim. Stop acting like he took a knife to your back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re in the middle of a closed team practice.” Annabeth snaps. “He should know better.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We were.” Beckendorf agrees. “Twenty five minutes ago. Now we’re just hanging out by the school swimming pool.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Has it actually been twenty five minutes? Annabeth looks down at her arms and realises they’re completely dry. The wrinkles on the tips of her fingers are starting to smooth out. She glances back up at Percy, who’s now holding Rachel around the waist and at an arm’s length- a respectful distance- while she reties her curly hair into a messy knot on the top of her head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s easy to be bad at swimming.” Annabeth grumbles. “All you have to do is flail around and beg for help and Percy’ll be there in a heartbeat.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean…” Beckendorf trails off and she looks at him. He fights back a smile. “You would do the same thing if someone looked like they were drowning, right? I would hope so-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth nods at Rachel. Rachel is, apparently, too good to wear an ugly bright blue swimming cap and goggles that will most definitely give you an inside out racoon tan. That’s a cross Annabeth will have to bear; the chlorine tans and smells will mark her as one of the Pool’s forever. The curse of a winner, a champion- someone who will never be able to walk up to Percy and bat her eyelashes at her and ask politely if he’ll maybe give her a swimming lesson because he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>so great</span>
  </em>
  <span> at the meet. You know what? Annabeth will say it- Percy wasn’t even that great last meet. Rachel is just desperate.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Obviously if she was drowning, I’d save her.” Annabeth rolls her eyes. “She just doesn’t look like she’s drowning, does she?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And Percy doesn’t look like he’s having much fun.” Beckendorf points out and Annabeth lets out a huff.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know what sucks?” Annabeth asks and Beckendorf leans in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, but I want to hear it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I- I don’t get that.” Annabeth says glumly, gesturing to Percy and Rachel. “Like- I was there for Percy when he had problems at home. And I tutored him in maths and physics so he wouldn’t flunk out. We even took our first ever swimming lesson together when we were five years old. I pieced all of him back together after the whole Calypso drama. Why is it not enough that I love him?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tears start to well in her eyes and Beckendorf takes her hand in his. He’s about two and a half times as big as her, but his touch is gentle and careful. She leans her head on his shoulder and takes a deep breath. In all honesty, she’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>tired</span>
  </em>
  <span> of crying over Percy Jackson.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She does everything right- she works hard to be the best- and for some people, like her dad or his wife or, apparently now, her best friend- that just isn’t enough. They want the Rachels of the world; people who are beautiful and not as competitive, people who’s laughs will echo through the entire room. And it kind of sucks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know what to tell you, Annabeth.” Beckendorf says. “This is the kind of thing Silena would be better at expressing. But he loves you a whole lot- I don’t want to be the asshole who gives you false hope or anything, but it’s clear as day. The guy’s obsessed with you- even if he doesn’t see it yet. Does that help?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not really.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’re quiet for a long time and he lets her rest her head on him while he rubs circles on her back. Finally, he breaks the silence. “Silena and I were going to go grab a bite, maybe catch a movie. Come on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to go anywhere.” Annabeth says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re going to just sit here and watch them?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe I am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a Friday evening and you’re being a total loser.” Beckendorf tells her. “But if you are hellbent on wasting it, I’m calling Silena over. We’ll join you in your creepy stalking adventure.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth rolls her eyes and shoves him lightly. “No, I don’t want to ruin date night. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Go</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I’ll have plenty of date nights alone with my girlfriend once you’re far away in college this September.” Beckenorf says. “Until then, I think we’d both like to hang out with our weird, stalker friends as much as we can.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth gives him a small smile and it occurs to her that this might be the lowest point of her life. She refuses to have her friends come over just so they can watch Percy on his maybe-date with Rachel Dare. He’s laughing at something she says and she has her legs wrapped around his hips while she speaks and it makes Annabeth nauseous.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I hate this.” She announces. “I’m going to shower, and we can go do something that’s like, actually fun.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s the spirit.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The most irritating part of it all is that the girls’ showers are on the very other end of the pool, meaning she has no choice but to walk past them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, hey, Annabeth.” Percy calls and she pretends she doesn’t hear. He lets out a loud whistle. “Oi, Chase.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” She snaps and Percy looks slightly taken aback.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now that she’s closer, she’s acutely aware of Rachel’s pretty green swimsuit- with its straps and ties and rings- in stark contrast to her plain black one piece. Stupid swimming team rules, she thikns miserably. Maybe if she wasn’t so fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span> at what she did, she could pretend she didn’t know the rules either- put on her skimpiest little bathing suit and style her hair carefully into a messy bun and hold on to Percy’s body for dear life despite being in a five foot deep pool. She doesn’t mean to scowl at Rachel- but she does.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Get in the pool.” Percy demands. “We’re going to race.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, we’re not.” Annabeth tells him, a little because she doesn’t want to dry off again, a little because she’s all too aware of Beckendorf staring at her, and a lot because she </span>
  <em>
    <span>hates</span>
  </em>
  <span> that tone he takes with her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, we </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Percy insists. His green eyes have a glint to them. “You and Beckendord versus me and Rachel. Four lap relay.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Beckendorf’s already showered.” Annabeth says. As if Rachel is on the same plane as her. It’s insulting to even be asked. “And I would literally rather die.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re such a chicken.” Percy rolls his eyes and calls over to Beckendorf. “Four laps. Come on, man.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Beckendorf looks between the two of them and Annabeth gestures for him to say no. She refuses to spend any time with Percy and his new girlfriend. Even from the distance, she can see his face break into a massive smile and she wishes she were closer to him so she could smack him in the chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, you’re on.” He calls back and jogs around the pool. “How good are you, Rachel?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not very.” Rachel says apologetically. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay. Neither is Annabeth.” Beckendorf teases as he approaches them. He pulls his t-shirt over his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to kill you.” Annabeth tells him and if she wasn’t feeling so hostile towards him, she might have been endeared by the mischief in his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re going to have to catch me first.” He says, disappearing off to change back into his Speedos.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Percy watches after him and lets go of Rachel, bringing his forearms up over the edge of the pool and resting his chin on them. He blinks innocently up at Annabeth.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Annababy.” He sings and she flips him off. Percy laughs. “I’m just teasing. Get in the pool.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He grabs her ankle before she can jump out of the way and tugs her forward until she’s by the edge. She sits down and slips back into the cold water, dunking her head a couple of times to readjust to the temperature. A shiver runs up her spine and she feels Percy’s arm reach around her waist before she gets pulled into him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t need you to warm me up.” She says at the same time he says,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to warm you right up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rachel, who must have realised she can stand perfectly comfortably with both feet on the floor, looks between the two of them with a funny expression, her arms crossed over her chest. Percy blinks at her and she rolls her eyes, her lips pursed as if she’s biting back a smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?” Percy asks and she shakes her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing.” Rachel tells him and looks at Annabeth like she’s saying, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Percy, am I right</span>
  </em>
  <span>? Annabeth doesn’t appreciate her random input, as if Rachel could ever know Percy like Annabeth does. She’s known him since she was five! That’s almost thirteen years- Rachel hasn’t even known him thirteen hours.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, so how do you plan on doing this?” Annabeth asks as Percy manhandles her with practiced ease. He leans his back against the wall and pulls her onto his leg like she’s sitting on him and rolls his eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You worry so much. It’s going to be like any regular race, Stupid.” He says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s only known how to swim for like, twenty minutes, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Stupid</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Annabeth mocks, gesturing at Rachel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Except she’s coupled up with me, Stupid.” Percy says, sticking his tongue out. “And I have a little trick up my sleeve.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You aren’t that much faster than us, Stupid.” Annabeth raises her eyebrow as Beckendorf comes back out and Percy rolls his eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, fine.” He says dejectedly. “I won’t cheat. Give us like, a head start. One and a half laps.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As if.” Annabeth objects. Percy raises his brows, a triumphant smile on his face, and she realises he just wanted her to admit he poses an actual threat. She tightens her jaw in defiance. “You know what? Fine. One and a half laps.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you </span>
  <em>
    <span>insane</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Beckendorf asks and she shrugs her shoulders. She and Beckendorf climb up to their block whie Percy gets Rachel prepped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” Percy says over his shoulder. “She’s just stubborn. And totally blind to my abilities.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” Annabeth corrects. “I’m a winner.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rachel starts off first and is surprisingly good for someone who claimed to have never swam a day in her life. She isn’t good- not by a long shot- but she is comfortable and her Annabeth finds it very hard to believe her technique is something she only picked up today. She narrows her eyes at Percy who stares at her wide-eyed. Before she can say anything, he shrugs his shoulders.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m just as surprised as you are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re hustling us.” Beckendorf accuses and Percy shakes his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I swear, I had </span>
  <em>
    <span>no</span>
  </em>
  <span> idea-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Rachel</span>
  </em>
  <span> was hustling </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Annabeth says, and she’s almost impressed by Rachel. “Stupid.” She adds and Percy reaches over and shoves her off the block and into the pool. She splutters as she resurfaces- Rachel is already making her way back to them. Percy grins.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re disqualified.” He says and Annabeth sticks her tongue out at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She climbs back out and takes her place and watches Percy cover his length and phenomenal speed. Has he gotten somehow even better? He reaches the other end and, instead of making a full turn, stops and sticks his head up, shooting her a thumbs up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You guys can start now!” He calls, and Annabeth dives in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once she’s in the race, the rest of the world fades out. She’s no longer thinking about her crush on Percy or whether he likes Rachel, or even if they’re truly screwed considering Rachel totally </span>
  <em>
    <span>can</span>
  </em>
  <span> swim. All that matters is her and the water that propels her forward. She’s mindful of the way she kicks and the muscles on her arms sing in delight. She is at home in the water, cutting through it like it’s what she’s born to do. She barely even realises she’s hit the wall, and before she can fully come to appreciate it, she’s finished her whole lap and Beckedorf is in the water.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She finishes while Rachel is still only half way through her first length and Beckendorf zips past her within the blink of an eye. Annabeth has a theory about how people swim- Percy moves like a sea snake- graceful and mesmerising and built to catch the light in every angle. Annabeth herself moves like a ray; sleek and gliding and almost one with the water. Beckendorf swims like a shark. He’s fast and direct and it looks more like the water moves to accommodate him, rather than the other way around. Rachel is only starting to turn around when Beckendorf’s hand slaps the block.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth grins at Percy. “See ya.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She dives in a second time, letting the freedom that comes with being in the water take over her senses. She swims- swims like her whole life depends on it. Freestyle is her strong point- each stroke is strong and her kicks are more powerful still. She focuses solely on the blue tiles at the bottom of the pool- she doesn’t want to know where Rachel is on the other lane. She surfaces after she knows Beckendorf’s in the water, and turns around to see Percy with a fairly beatable head start. Watching the boys swim is always a joy- where Percy’s strokes are light and rapid, Beckendorf’s are powerful and fewer in between. Percy’s hand slaps his block only a second before Beckendorf’s does and Rachel cheers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think that means </span>
  <em>
    <span>we</span>
  </em>
  <span> win.” She tells Annabeth smugly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think it means you cheated.” Annabeth scowls as Percy is starting to get out of the pool. The water forms little drops on his chest and rolls down his stomach and Annabeth glares at him. He grins at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Loser takes the winner out on a date?” He asks cheekily and Annabeth stomps her foot infrustration.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You cheated.” She cries. “I demand a rematch. You’re literally the </span>
  <em>
    <span>worst</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Jackson.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re the one who agreed to a one and a half lap headstart.” Beckendorf pointed out and Annabeth glares at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re on my team. Stop being a dick.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to go shower. For the second time.” Beckenorf announces with a laugh. He waves over to Silena, who must have come in when they were mid-race. She waves back at them. “Annabeth- get ready and come to dinner with us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He says it kind of forcefully, giving her a pointed look as if to remind her to leave Percy and Rachel alone on their date- as if Annabeth was going to go and insert herself into that situation. She rolls her eyes and bites back a smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You guys are going to dinner?” Percy asks with a frown. “Why was I not told?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh.” Beckendorf says sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. He looks between Percy and Rachel. “I think we just assumed you were busy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not.” Percy says. “I’ll come with you. Annabeth, you can ride in the car with me. We don’t have to hold you guys up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There’s a moment of heavy, tense silence and it seems like Percy’s entirely forgotten about Rachel. Annabeth clears her throat. If Rachel were drowning in the pool, Annabeth had promised she’d help her out- and it feels an awful lot like that right now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So Rachel, you free tonight?” She asks, shuffling her feet. Rachel’s cheeks are bright red.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh. Uh- no. I’m going home. Big day tomorrow.” She says and Annabeth doesn’t know if she’s happy or a little embarrassed. She nods once.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, cool. Um… I’m going to go shower.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She doesn’t wait to confirm any plans and takes off to the girls’ room. When she comes out, Rachel is sitting by one of the mirrors, carefully drying her hair. She’s wearing a plain t-shirt and jeans and looks like any other girl that might have been Annabeth’s friend. Annabeth swallows thickly and joins her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hi.” She says. Rachel gives her a small smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, it’s a good thing you won.” She says. “Because you’re a pretty sore loser.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We lost.” Annabeth draws out slowly, already regretting taking the time to get to know Rachel. Percy needs to find someone smarter, and fast, because Annabeth cannot go her whole life translating everything to Idiot terms. Rachel laughs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, not the race.” She says. “I mean Percy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Percy?” Annabeth frowns. “What does he have to do with anything?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing.” Rachel says lightly. “Everything- I don’t know. Point is, he’s all yours if you want him.” She looks at her reflection. “Hell, he’s all yours even if you don’t want him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you</span>
  <em>
    <span> talking about</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean-,” Rachel shakes her head and laughs. “God, I thought boys were stupid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Annabeth gets to her feet. She is not about to sit here and be called names by some girl she barely knows. “You know what, Rachel, I don’t need to be here right now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No- Annabeth, stop. I just mean… I spent </span>
  <em>
    <span>weeks</span>
  </em>
  <span> working up the courage to ask Percy on a date- and even then I had to come up with some poor excuse to hang out with him. And all he did today was talk about you. It just… went on and on and on. He’s a great guy, but even Percy isn’t worth that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He talked about me?” Annabeth asks softly. Rachel rolls her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you haven’t realised he’s absolutely crazy about you, Annabeth, I don’t know what to say to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up.” Annabeth says, all the blood in her body rushing to her cheeks. She checks her reflection in the mirror once and decides she will die if she spends another second here alone with Rachel. “Bye.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Percy is already standing by his car by the time she walks out into the parking lot. When he spots her, he waves her over. He starts talking before she even reaches him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey. So we’re meeting them at La Ville- and I know you aren’t the biggest fan of their veal, but it’s cool, because I was on their webpage and they’ve got vegetable au  gratin, which is like, your favourite thing in the world, and, like, sure. It’s not going to be as good as mine is, because let’s face it, I’m fantastic in the kitchen, but-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh.” Annabeth says hollowly. Rachel’s words still bounce around in her head and she lets him lead her to his car. “Okay, cool.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You okay?” Percy asks with a frown. Then his face breaks into a grin, as if he’s just figured out what’s bothering her. “You’re not still upset I beat you, are you, you big baby?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He digs into the pocket of his jeans and fishes something out, dropping it into Annabeth’s hand. She looks down at a shiny silver nickel and raises her eyebrows at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What is this?” She asks and Percy beams with the radiance of a thousand stars..</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How I won.” He tells her. “Remember when we were kids and we went to Coach Williamson’s swimming lessons together?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How would I ever forget that old hag?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, but remember that time you and I got put in a team together? And we almost won our first ever relay as a duo but then you stopped because you saw something shiny- and you insisted it might be something valuable, like an earring- and nobody believed you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. It was just some stupid nickel-” Annabeth’s laugh dies in her throat. She blinks at the coin in her hand. When she looks up at Percy, he winces and scratches the back of his neck. “You still have this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We were only five years old back then, but I knew I wanted you to be on my team forever, you know?” He ducks his head and shuffles his feet. “Nothing’s changed. And that coin’s my little lucky charm. She’s never let me down.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Annabeth hesitates. Her heart hammers against her chest and Percy pauses. His eyes search hers and his expression softens and she cannot believe she’s never noticed the way he looks at her before. His hands reach out and take hers gently.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How long were you waiting for me?” Annabeth asks him quietly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A while.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did I take long?” Annabeth asks again, her voice small. She’ll understand if she’s missed her window. It’s her own doing- she’d spent so long blinded by her own feelings for him, she’d never bothered to see something so glaringly obvious. Percy nods, rubbing his thumb over her wrist.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kind of.” He tells her. Annabeth purses her lips, her heart in her toes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry.” She mumbles. “I’m so sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t be.” Percy reaches out then, holding her head carefully with one hand and pulling her to him. He doesn’t wait for her to respond, and he doesn’t really need to. His smile is warm against her lips and he leans his forehead on hers. Annabeth is walking on sunshine. Her eyes flutter close and Percy seals the space between them with a searing kiss. Her fingers curl around the fabric of his t-shirt and she pulls him as close to her as she can. When he finally pulls away, he presses another quick kiss to the tip of her nose.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The best things in life are worth the wait.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. engine failure</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“I’ve got it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You really don’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Stop doubting me and hand me the wrench.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ew, no way. It’s greasy and filthy. Do you have any idea how long it took me to look this good?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Percy squints up at his girlfriend. She has her arms crossed over her chest and her dark green dress shimmers under the streetlights. He’s bent over her engine on an empty rural road with no sign of civilization for miles on end, and tensions are running high. It’s for this reason that he considers what he says next very carefully.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Maybe if you’d been faster, we wouldn’t be stuck on the side of the road in the middle of fuck knows where.” He says through gritted teeth and Annabeth lets out a melodramatic gasp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, no. This isn’t my fault, there’s no way you’re pinning this on me, Mr. I Know a Shortcut.” She does a pathetic mockery of his voice and he scowls at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s rich.” Percy snaps. “Considering you laughed in my face the last time I reminded you to have your car inspected.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe if you’d just ‘remind me’ when I’m not in the middle of doing a billion different things, I’d actually listen!” Annabeth cries. “But it’s all on me, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh? Do you expect me to share the blame?” Percy demands. “Because let me tell you right now, I’m the only one between us trying to fix this situation-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That we’d never have been in in the first place if you’d just picked a restaurant closer to us!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Percy takes a deep breath and looks up to the stars above for help, strength and patience. He loves Annabeth a whole lot, really he does- and a big part of why tonight was so important had everything to do with just how much he loves her- but then there are moments like these, when she’s flushed and yelling and stomping her feet; and it’s at these times that Percy is tempted to leave her on the sidewalk and drive far, far away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Look,” He says finally. His voice is level and immediately, Annabeth’s posture relaxes. “I don’t know what’s wrong with this stupid engine, but I have a feeling we’re not getting far. Can you call roadside assistance? I’m low on charge.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Blessedly, Annabeth does not put up a fuss. She reaches into her little silver purse and pulls out her phone and Percy’s a little impressed that it fit in at all. She squints at her screen, and then she lets out a frustrated growl and shoves it back in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve not got any reception.” She announces and Percy groans, hitting his head gently against the edge of the open hood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fantastic.” He says. “Where the fuck even are we?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth looks around and then points to the horizon, past the large empty fields that surround them on either side. Far, far away, he can see the faint glimmer of city lights, a light cloud of pollution that coats his city like a warm blanket. It’s way too far to walk, and even with any cell reception, he has a sinking feeling they might be well out of Uber’s coverage as well.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s home.” Annabeth says. “How did we get here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know. I put my trust in Google.”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Where were we meant to go?” Annabeth asks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She leans against the side of the car and looks up at him, and her expression is gentle. Percy is about eighty percent sure they’re going to die out here, but he feels infinitely less angry with the world for it. He holds his arm out and Annabeth fits snugly into his side. He presses a kiss to the top of her head and lets out a sigh.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I found this farmhouse themed restaurant online.” He admits. “It looked really cute, the kind of thing you’d like. They have horses and ducks and everything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth gives him a small smile and leans her head against his shoulder. “That does sound nice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was. Or- it is, I suppose. We’re just not there to see it.” Percy tells her. “And I invited my mom, and Paul, and Fred and Louise and the twins, and Thalia and Tyson and Grover… and I was going to give you just the best night of your life, and then, when we got home…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There’s a suggestive smile on Annabeth’s lips and she wiggles her eyebrows at him and it’s obvious she’s got the right spirit but the wrong idea. She slips her hand underneath his jacket and runs it up his side and Percy sighs into her hair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’ve not really got much to do.” Annabeth says. “We’ve got a car, loads of privacy- we could still maybe-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not what I meant, baby.” He pulls her into him. It’s kind of the most disappointing proposal story in all of history. Annabeth cups the side of his face in her hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Percy, what’s wrong?” She asks gently. “It’s okay, sweetheart, we’ll get home eventually. We always figure it out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, that’s not- it’s just- oh fuck it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He draws away from her and rummages through his pockets. Carefully, he extracts the single golden ring and holds it up for her. Annabeth’s eyes widen and he can see all the stars of the galaxy reflected in them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was going to ask you to marry me.” It’s sort of pathetic, but Annabeth looks like she’d just won the lottery. Her face breaks into a wide smile that temporarily blinds him. She takes it carefully out of his fingers and slips it on her own and stares at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” She says, voice barely over a whisper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I never asked.” Percy points out and Annabeth throws her arms around him. On instinct, he lifts her easily up off her feet and she wraps her legs around his waist, the fabric of her dress straining against his hip. When she kisses him, any possible worry he might have ever had flies right out of his head. He’s standing here with a broken car, the love of his life in his arms and under the light of a thousand stars, and it’s all he can do to remind himself that there are worse ways to go. Annabeth’s lips are so tender against his, her movements so deliberate and her tongue so soft- he loves her and she loves him and he understands in this point in time, they will be like this for as long as they live.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine.” Annabeth sounds breathless when she draws away. She gives him another quick peck on the lips, and then another, and then a third. “So ask me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy pretends to consider it. “No, I changed my mind.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth lets out a laugh and holds up her hand, the small diamond catching the moon’s light when she does. “I think this means you’re bonded to me forever.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. It means </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> are bonded to </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span> forever.” Percy corrects, pressing her up against the car window and kissing her again. Ten years he’s kissed those lips- he doesn’t think there will ever come a day when he’s bored. “You’re mine now, baby. And I’m not letting you leave that easily.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, and where would I go?” Annabeth asks and even the playful thought of it sends a spark or irrational jealousy up his spine. He pushes against her and trails kisses down her neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nowhere.” He growls into her skin. “It’s going to be you, me, and this piece of shit you call a car for the rest of your life.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her fingers curl into his hair and she tugs at him until he looks up to meet her eye.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I love you.” She tells him simply. Honestly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I love you.” Percy says before she kisses him again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t really know what happens next- mostly their bodies take over from there on, and perhaps it’s because of the little seed of possibility Annabeth had planted into his mind earlier on, but the next thing he knows, he’s got his bride to be lying across the backseat of a broken down car and under his weight, trailing hot kisses down his now bare chest. His freshly pressed shirt is strewn across the driver’s seat and when he has the time to look for it, he’ll find his jacket sitting on the hood of their car.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annabeth looks up at him when he finishes, her forehead shining with sweat and her lips parted slightly. She runs her fingers through his hair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think maybe you should thank me.” She tells him with a smug smile. “Just imagine, if I’d gotten my car inspected, we’d be listening to Paul talk about his slightly off-centre toe, dreaming of doing this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So it is your fault.” Percy raises his brow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>No</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Annabeth says. “It’s my gift to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We are going to get eaten by wolves-” Percy gets cut off by his phone buzzing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He reaches out and grabs it, thanking whatever god was listening for his continued streak of good luck he’s had on this terrible night. His mom’s face flashes on the screen, not outdone by the bold red </span>
  <em>
    <span>1% </span>
  </em>
  <span>on the corner.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Mom, I’m super low on battery right now.” Percy says. He looks at Annabeth who shakes her head, eyes wide, and grins. Being with her for ten years gives him the unique gift of being able to read her mind. “Annabeth and I are lost, but we’re… we’re fine. We’ll find our way back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Percy? Honey are you okay?” His mom asks. “Is Annabeth alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, we’re just-” Percy hesitates. He hates to leave his family hanging, but Annabeth’s sliding her hand up his thigh and he figures they can stand to be in each other’s company for a while. He leans down and takes Annabeth’s lips in his, giving her a long </span>
  <em>
    <span>behave yourself</span>
  </em>
  <span> kiss. He smacks her hand off of him just so he can trail his up her skirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, what was that? You’re what?” His mom asks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Percy looks back up at the horizon, their home and the stars that extend on forever above them. He knows it’s the wrong decision- knows the right thing to do is to call for help, but he figures it’s a problem for the morning, when Annabeth doesn’t look so </span>
  <em>
    <span>fucking</span>
  </em>
  <span> irresistible. They’ve gotten out of worse situations; he figures they’ll be fine. They make an excellent team.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. We’re going to be late. Don’t wait up.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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